Policemen's families honoured with petroleum dealerships

Mumbai: Vaishali Ombale, daughter of police constable Tukaram Ombale, who took all the bullets on him to catch Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist to be captured alive in the terror attack, is filled with pride at her father's bravery.

"At the same time, our family is drowned in sorrow since he is not with us any more," she told Gulf News.

One of four daughters, two of whom are married, she feels her father's ambition of giving his children good education has been fulfilled with Vaishali completing her BEd course and now awaiting employment. She confesses her mother and the rest of the family have not found the courage to visit her father's memorial at Marine Drive.

The Ombales are among the 18 families of policemen who died fighting the terrorists. They are under a special initiative of the Government of India and Ministry of Petroleum and have been given dealerships for petrol, diesel, LPG and CNG. Union Minister of Home, P. Chidambaram handed over the dealership letters, which he described as "scrolls of honour" to the wives of five policemen.

The recipients include Vinita Kamte, wife of late Ashok Kamte, Pratibha J. Patil, wife of Jaywant Hanumant Patil, Madhavi More, wife Prakash Pandurang More, Vineeta Singh, wife of Gajendra Singh and Shraddha Khandekar, wife of Vijay Khandekar.

"My four-year-old daughter is yet to understand that her father will never come home," said Shraddha, who left it to her husband's family to manage the dealership.