As India observes 17th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the nation remembers the extraordinary courage of Assistant Sub-Inspector Tukaram Gopal Omble, whose sacrifice changed the course of the investigation. Born in 1954 in Maharashtra, Omble had served as a Nayak in the Indian Army’s Signals Corps before joining the Mumbai Police in 1991. On the night of 26 November 2008, he held terrorist Ajmal Kasab in an unbreakable grip even as multiple AK-47 bullets riddled his chest—a heroic act that exposed the truth behind the attacks.
On that night, Omble and his team were deployed at Girgaum Chowpatty to set up a roadblock. Around 10 PM, a Skoda carrying two terrorists approached the barricade. To distract the police, they switched the headlights to high beam and turned on the wipers. Sensing danger, the police attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver, Abu Ismail, tried to flee, triggering gunfire. Ismail, seated behind the wheel, was killed in the exchange, while the second terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, pretended to be dead inside the car.
ASI Omble, armed with only a baton, went forward to inspect the vehicle, unaware that Kasab was lying in wait. The moment he opened the door, Kasab sprang up and fired a burst from his AK-47 at close range. Despite being unarmed and taking multiple bullets to the chest, Omble did not retreat. Instead, he lunged forward and grabbed the barrel of Kasab’s rifle with both hands, refusing to let go.
Even as bullets tore through his body, Omble held the gun so firmly that Kasab could not move it. This gave the other officers precious seconds to overpower and capture the terrorist alive. Although ASI Omble succumbed to his injuries on the spot, his unparalleled courage ensured that India had the only surviving witness of the 26/11 conspiracy.
Kasab’s capture became the biggest turning point in the investigation, revealing the planning, training, and global network behind the attacks. On 26 January 2009, the Government of India honoured Tukaram Omble posthumously with the Ashoka Chakra, the nation’s highest peacetime gallantry award.
