Anew species of spider, Icius tukarami, has been named after assistant sub-inspector Tukaram Omble, the hero of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, who was responsible for the capture of terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
As per an India Today report, the term Icius Tukarami was first mentioned in a paper published by a team of researchers. The paper aims to “describe two new species of the genera Phintella and Icius from Maharashtra state of India”. The research said: “The specific epithet is dedicated to a hero of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, ASI Tukaram Omble AC, who took 23 bullets and captured the terrorist of the attack.”
On the night of 26/11, after attacking the CST railway station, Ajmal Kasab and his fellow terrorist Ismail Khan had targeted the Cama Hospital. The two terrorists ambushed a police team outside the hospital, killing six officers, including ATS chief Hemant Karkare. They were later intercepted near Girgaum Chowpatty, where Tukaram Omble grabbed the barrel of their rifle. His heroic act gave the other police team enough time and cover to overpower Kasab and capture him alive.
The assistant sub-inspector stood in front of Kasab and took multiple bullets at point-blank range to safeguard the other police officers present at the spot.
Tukaram Omble was awarded India’s highest peacetime gallantry award Ashoka Chakra for his bravery.
In his memoir, Let Me Say It Now, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria recalled how Omble’s actions led to Kasab’s capture and also foiled ISI’s plans to project 26/11 as “Hindu terror”.
Maria claimed that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had planned to project the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack as a case of “Hindu terror” and Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Kasab to die as Bengaluru’s Samir Chaudhari. In his memoir, Maria mentioned about the investigation helmed by him in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, which was planned by LeT and Pakistan hand was also unearthed.
While describing LeT’s plan to project the 26/11 attack as “Hindu Terror”, Maria wrote, “If everything went according to plan, Kasab would have died as Chaudhari and the media would have blamed ‘Hindu terrorists’ for the attack.”
He added that Omble’s heroic feat of capturing Kasab alive was key to foiling this sinister plan.