Thaindian News

Mumbai, May 30 (IANS) Mumbai Police constable Tukaram Ombale, who sacrificed his life to catch Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab alive Nov 26, 2008, will have a commemorative bust erected in his honour, a top civic official said here Monday.

The bust will come up at a prominent area at Girgaum Chowpatty in south Mumbai, near the actual spot where Ombale had caught Kasab virtually with his bare hands that fateful night.

A proposal to erect a bust of Ombale was tabled and passed unanimously at a meeting of the standing committee of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) held here Monday evening, said its (Standing Committee) chairman Rahul Shewale.

While Kasab was caught alive, Ombale did not survive multiple bullet injuries inflicted by the terrorist from his automatic gun.

The proposal was submitted by legislator and leader of opposition in the BMC, Congress’s Rajhans Singh, June 6, 2009, and was accepted unanimously by the civic house Monday, Shewale said.

“The bust will be created and erected at a cost of around Rs.2.20 million. There will greenery, beautification and suitable lighting around it to give it a good ambience and serve as a permanent memorial for Ombale,” Shewale said.

The bust will be ready for inauguration before the third anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks in which over 160 people were killed by 10 Pakistani gunmen who came by the Arabian Sea route.

While Kasab was nabbed alive, his other associates were gunned down by security forces in different places which the terrorists had targeted during those harrowing 60-hours.

Incidentally, Girgaum Chowpatty beach is one of the important landmarks of Mumbai which witnesses a sea of humanity every year at the end of the 10-day long Ganesh festival, when thousands of idols of the elephant-headed god are immersed in the Arabian Sea waters.

Situated in close proximity to the VVIP areas of south Mumbai, it is barely two km from Maharashtra Raj Bhavan, the chief minister’s residence ‘Varsha,’ the residences of top ministers, central and state officials, scientists, top police officials, diplomats, industrialists and film personalities.