Mumbai: Kavita Karkare, widow of slain former Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare, who died fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks, died in a Mumbai hospital on Monday morning.
Kavita was admitted to Hinduja Hospital, Mahim, after she had a brain haemorrhage on Saturday. Her condition turned critical and she slipped into a coma soon afterwards.
According to the hospital, she was on a ventilator but did not respond to treatment.
Kavita is survived by two daughters Jui and Sayali and son Akash who have consented to donate her organs for the treatment of needy patients. According to the hospital, the decision has given new lease of life to two end stage kidney patients and one end stage liver patient.
Kavita’s children also decided to donate their mother’s eyes and skin.
After her husband’s death on November 26, 2008, Kavita, a college professor, was often seen in the limelight for demanding better weaponry, training and other facilities for police personnel who were put in life-threatening situations.
She questioned the quality of bullet–proof jackets and equipment provided to the police force as well as the absence of coordination and cooperation between the officers on the field and those in the control room.
In 2010, she said in an interview with a website, after Ajmal Kasab — the only militant who was captured alive — was tried and hanged: “It gives some satisfaction that the terrorist has been hanged but the real culprits are still at large.
“This is an end to a part of the 26/11 saga. Larger questions are still open and they have to be answered.”
She had also said in the years after 26/11, there were many other bomb blasts, including in Pune, indicating that India was vulnerable as ever.
Her husband Hemant Karkare was killed by terrorists near Mumbai’s Cama Hospital, along with Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte and senior police inspector Vijay Salaskar.
