Mumbai: Police sub-Inspector Tukaram Ombale, who was killed while fighting terrorists during the November 26 Mumbai terror attacks, should be given "equal honours with other slain senior officers", demanded citizens across the city.

"Ombale, who sacrificed his life to make possible the arrest of lone terrorist caught alive, Mohammad Ajmal Amir Iman, should be given equal honours with slain senior officers," they said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"Ombale lead practically unarmed cops against heavily armed terrorists and almost single-handedly made it possible at Chowpatty, by shielding AK-47 gunfire with his own body, the arrest of Ajmal Amir Imran," the letter said.

Sumaira Abdulali, a resident of Bandra who has written the letter signed by hundreds of citizens to PM, Home Minister and Maharashtra Chief Minister has said "I value contribution of all those who were martyred in the terrorist attacks and none more than that of the three senior police officers of the Mumbai police. However, martyrdom in an ambush by terrorists needs to be distinguished from martyrdom through positive and successful action of sub inspector Ombale."

"Ombale s bravery does not rank second to any and is not associated with the formal rank of the person. Thanks to this remarkable person, the country has secured the capture of a terrorist, an accomplishment which even trained NSG commandos failed to achieve," the letter said.

Information from terrorist Ajmal has been invaluable in determining details of the attacks including involvement of established terrorist outfits in neighboring countries which would otherwise never have been confirmed, they claimed in the letter.
Source : PTI