ASI Tukaram Omble’s name stands etched in India’s collective memory as a symbol of unmatched bravery and sacrifice. On the night of November 26, 2008, when Mumbai was under attack, Omble performed one of the greatest acts of raw courage ever witnessed, ultimately giving his life to save countless others and ensuring the capture of a key terrorist alive.
26/11 – #NeverForgiveNeverForget – Shri Tukaram Omble took bullets and ensured that Kasab was caught alive and the Pak conspiracy unravelled pic.twitter.com/C5qhQkv9Rd
— Vijay (@centerofright) November 26, 2025
A former naik in the Indian Army’s Signal Corps, Tukaram Omble joined the Mumbai Police in 1991 and rose to the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspector. Known for his discipline and commitment, he was deployed with his team at Girgaum Chowpatty on the night of the terrorist siege. As chaos erupted across Mumbai, the police intercepted a hijacked Skoda carrying two heavily armed terrorists, Ismail Khan and Ajmal Kasab. In the brief shootout that followed, Ismail was killed inside the vehicle, while Kasab pretended to surrender.
Despite being unarmed except for a simple wooden lathi, Omble moved forward to apprehend Kasab, who suddenly rose and opened fire at point-blank range. Without thinking of his own safety, Omble lunged forward and gripped the barrel of Kasab’s AK-47 with both hands, pulling it toward himself and absorbing the bullets with his own body. Even as multiple rounds tore into him, reports say he took as many as 40 bullets, he refused to let go. His iron grip prevented Kasab from firing further at the other officers, giving the team the crucial seconds they needed to overpower the terrorist and capture him alive.
This single act of unimaginable courage changed the course of the investigation into the 26/11 attacks. Capturing Kasab alive exposed the entire terrorist plot, confirmed the involvement of Pakistan-based handlers, and provided irrefutable evidence of the cross-border conspiracy. India and the world came to know the truth because ASI Tukaram Omble chose to sacrifice himself so that others could live and justice could be served.
For his supreme bravery, the Government of India posthumously awarded Tukaram Omble the Ashoka Chakra, the highest peacetime military honour, on January 26, 2009. His widow received the award from President Pratibha Patil, and the nation expressed its gratitude through various measures, including the symbolic handing over of a CNG fuel pump to his family by Home Minister P Chidambaram. Yet no gesture can truly match the magnitude of the sacrifice he made.
Tukaram Omble’s final act was one of pure heroism. Unarmed, outmatched, and facing certain death, he chose duty over life. His courage ensured that Ajmal Kasab was captured alive, helping unravel the full scale of the 26/11 conspiracy. His story continues to inspire millions, reminding the nation of a hero who stood tall against terror and laid down his life so that others could be saved. India will forever remember him with pride: a true guardian, a fearless warrior, and a martyr whose courage remains unparalleled.
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