'Icius Tukarami': New Spider Species Named After Mumbai Cop Tukaram Omble Who Captured Terrorist Kasab

Known as Icius Tukarami, the new species has been mentioned in a paper published by a team of researchers which "describe two new species of the genera Phintella and Icius from Maharashtra state.

Mumbai: In an act of recognition, new species of spider has been inducted into the scientific community with the name of 26/11 hero assistant sub-inspector Tukaram Omble, who laid his life and helped in apprehending the dreaded terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

Known as Icius Tukarami, the new species has been mentioned in a paper published by a team of researchers which "describe two new species of the genera Phintella and Icius from Maharashtra state.

The research noted, "The specific epithet is dedicated to a hero of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, ASI Tukaram Omble AC, who took 23 bullets and captured the terrorist of the attack”.

On the night of 26/11 attack, Ajmal Kasab and his fellow terrorist Ismail Khan made way into the Cama Hospital after the brutal attack at the CST railway station.

The two terrorists entered from the back gate of the hospital and the staffers had locked all the doors from inside. The duo went on firing at the police team outside the hospital taking lives of six officers, including ATS chief Hemant Karkare.

Later when Kasab and another terrorist Ismail Khan, were intercepted near Girgaum Chowpatty, it is Tukaram Omble who grabbed the barrel of their rifle.

It is the heroism of Omble whose actions allowed the other police team to prepare and overpower Kasab to capture him alive. The brave heart assistant sub-inspector took the multiple bullets at point-blank range and ensured that other police officers don’t get injured during the fire fighting.

Tukaram Omble was awarded India's highest peacetime gallantry award Ashoka Chakra, and in his memoir, former Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria wrote that Omble's actions that led to Kasab's capture were key to foiling Lashkar-e-Taiba's plans.