Tukaram Omble

Tukaram Omble AC (c. 1954 – 27 November 2008)[1] was a Mumbai police officer and army soldier, who served as assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the Mumbai Police. He was martyred in action while fighting terrorists during the 2008 Mumbai attacks, at Girgaum Chowpatty Mumbai, and was instrumental in apprehending Ajmal Kasab alive. The lone surviving terrorist Kasab was later convicted and hanged. The Indian government posthumously honoured Omble, on 26 January 2009, with the Ashoka Chakra – the country's highest peace-time gallantry award for extraordinary bravery and valour in the line of duty.[2]

Tukaram Gopal Omble
Bust of Tukaram Omble, at Girgaum Chowpatty junction
Bornc. 1954 (1954)
Kedambe, Satara District, Maharashtra India
Died27 November 2008 (aged 53–54) (Killed in 2008 Mumbai attacks)
Mumbai, India
Police career
DepartmentMumbai Police
Service years1991 – 2008
RankAssistant Sub-Inspector
Awards Ashoka Chakra

Summary
Omble's wife receives the Ashok Chakra from president Pratibha Patil on 26 January 2009.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram handing over a CNG fuel Pump to the family of Tukaram Omble.

Omble joined the police as a constable in 1991 after retiring from the Indian Army's Signal Corps as a naik. He was an ASI with the Mumbai Police. On 26/11 he and his team were guarding one of the checkposts when they were approached by two terrorists in a hijacked car. After an initial shootout, one of the terrorists died inside the car, while the other, Ajmal Kasab got out of the car and lay down to pretend surrender. As unarmed Omble approached him, Kasab got up and tried to open fire. Omble stood in front of him and held on to the barrel of Kasab's rifle, thus preventing the bullets from hitting anyone else but him. The rest of the team managed to overpower and apprehend Kasab. Omble had taken over 40 bullets from an Ak-47 at point blank range and did not survive.

Citizens of Mumbai petitioned to have him receive the highest civilian honour for his contribution to the nation in his rare feat to catch a terrorist on a suicide mission alive.[3] The Government of India awarded Tukaram Omble with the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award.[4]

Awards and honours
  • Tukaram Omble was awarded the Ashoka Chakra, which is the highest peacetime gallantry award.[5]
  • He was also awarded CNN Indian of the year award under the category 'Extraordinary service to the nation'.[6]
  • Omble is memorialized by a bronze statue in Chowpatty.[7]

See also

References
  1. Ashish Khetan; Bachi Karkaria; Chris Khetan; George Koshy; Harsh Joshi; Julio Riberio; Rahul Shivshankar (2009). 26/11 Mumbai Attacked. Roli Books Private Limited. ISBN 9789351940708. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  2. "11 security personnel to get Ashok Chakra". Retrieved 25 January 2009.
  3. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Ombales-courage-must-be-recognised/articleshow/3905959.cms?
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Ashok Chakra for only two: Karkare and Omble". Indian Express. 21 January 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  6. "Madhavan Nair, Team Chandrayan named CNN-IBN Indian of the Year - Thaindian News". Thaindian.com. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  7. Tiwary, Deeptiman. "Tukaram Omble - A extraordinary constable". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
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