Tukaram Omble

Tukaram Omble AC (c. 1954 – 27 November 2008) was an Indian police officer and army soldier, who served as assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the Mumbai Police. He was killed in action while fighting terrorists during the 2008 Mumbai attacks, at Girgaum Chowpatty Mumbai, and was instrumental in apprehendingAjmal Kasab alive. The lone surviving terrorist Kasab was later convicted and hanged. The Indian government posthumously honoured Omble, on 26 January 2009, with the Ashoka Chakra – the country's highest peace-time gallantry award for extraordinary bravery and valour in the line of duty.

Omble joined the police as a constable in 1991 after retiring from the Indian Army's Signal Corps as a naik. He was an ASI with the Mumbai Police.On 26/11 he and his team were guarding one of the checkposts when they were approached by two terrorists in a hijacked car. After an initial shootout, one of the terrorists died inside the car, while the other, Ajmal Kasab got out of the car and lay down to pretend surrender. As unarmed Omble approached him, Kasab got up and tried to open fire. Omble stood in front of him and held on to the barrel of Kasab's rifle, thus preventing the bullets from hitting anyone else but him. The rest of the team managed to overpower and apprehend Kasab. Omble had taken over 40 bullets from an Ak-47 at point blank range and did not survive.

Citizens of Mumbai petitioned to have him receive the highest civilian honour for his contribution to the nation in his rare feat to catch a terrorist on a suicide mission alive. The Government of India awarded Tukaram Omble with the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award.

• Tukaram Omble was awarded the Ashoka Chakra, which is the highest peacetime gallantry award.
• He was also awarded CNN Indian of the year award under the category 'Extraordinary service to the nation'.
• Omble is memorialized by a bronze statue in Chowpatty.