In real life, it is not how they show it. We are always on time,” Tukaram Omble would say about Bollywood’s portrayal of the men in khaki. Little wonder then that on 26/11, after getting news of two terrorists fleeing in a hijacked Skoda, Omble — he would have turned 53 tomorrow — was bang on time at Girgaum, ready to take on the armed men.

While the policeman continues to receive accolades for his brave act — he took the bullets but held on to the terrorist’s gun — which led to the capture of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the family is not at all surprised. “Papa would always go beyond the call of duty. Even if something was not his responsibility, he would go ahead. He hated standing back,” recalled his 23-year-old daughter Vaishali.

Omble had barely recovered from a stroke last year when he ran and overpowered a thief who had given another policeman the slip. “Papa ran and caught him, even hurting his palm. When the other policeman came to thank him and said he would narrate it to the higher-ups, Papa advised him against it. He knew his colleague would get into trouble,” Vaishali said.

Like their father who refused to accept more than his share, the family too has refused help from private organisations or other sources. They say only the state compensation is acceptable. “We will collect the amount and form a trust in Papa’s name. This will be the best gift that we can give him on his birthday on January 17,” Vaishali said. Practically every day, the family has been attending programmes, some even outside Mumbai, to honour the 26/11 martyrs.

... contd.