Tukaram Ombale’s daughter is still waiting for him to return home

The daughter of policeman Tukaram Ombale, who was killed while trying to capture terrorist Ajmal Kasab, says her family still awaits his return, nine years after the Mumbai terror attacks.

“We feel papa will come home any moment, although deep in our heart we know that he will never be amongst us now,” says a teary-eyed Vaishali Ombale, the eldest daughter of the Mumbai terror attacks hero.

“We always think that Papa has gone out on duty and will return home. We have kept his belongings at the place they used to be in our home. Our family is proud of his supreme sacrifice,” Vaishali Ombale, who has completed her M Ed (Masters in education) and aspires to be a lecturer, told PTI.

Ombale, an assistant subinspector, was killed by Kasab’s bullets in the early hours of November 27, 2008.

In a daring act, he had pounced on Kasab without thinking much about the consequences. His bravery had made it possible for the police to overpower Kasab, the only 26/11 terrorist to be captured and hanged.

“Not a day has gone by in the last nine years that we have not remembered him,” said Vaishali Ombale, who stays at the Worli Police Camp with her mother Tara and sister Bharti, who is an officer in the state GST department.“For how long will police or armed forces personnel continue losing their lives in the name of supreme sacrifice,” she asked.“This should stop somewhere. There should be a change in this scenario. Every citizen should always be alert and foil incidents in which we are losing our men,” she said. Vaishali gives tuitions to students from class 8th to junior college, which keeps her busy and makes her forget the pain of losing her father.