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lest we forget: A cop walks past a garlanded picture of assistant sub inspector Tukaram Omble at D B Marg police station. The 54-year-old, armed with just a lathi, threw himself at Kasab and did not let go, even as five bullets went through him. pic/vishal kelkar

On November 26, at around midnight, 16 policemen from D B Marg police station, armed with nothing more than service pistols and lathis and, of course, without bullet-proof jackets bravely fought against two Kalashnikov-wielding terrorists at Girgaum Chowpatty.

They managed to kill one and, more critically, caught the other, Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, alive. However, their effort has gone unrecognised and unrewarded by the state.

In the gunbattle, they lost Assistant Sub Inspector Tukaram Omble. The 54-year-old, armed with just a lathi, threw himself at Kasab and did not let him go, even as five bullets went through him.
The local Rotary Club of Worli felicitated the DB Marg policemen for their brave act on Sunday but a word of appreciation, and reward if any, is yet to come from either the police commissioner or the chief minister.
Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Chitkala Zutshi said, "We will suitably reward them. A package is being worked out.''

A senior IPS officer explained the procedure saying the cops submit the reward proposal to the state government.

"The government clears the reward only after it is satisfied with the merits of the case," he said. A demoralised senior inspector who was instrumental in cracking the 1993 serial blasts case said, "I feel betrayed. The government still owes each one of us in the investigation team a cash reward of Rs 20,000.
Today, that money means nothing to me.''



AP shows the way

Andhra Pradesh gave Rs 10 lakh to the Mumbai police for recovering the Rs 5.84 crore valuables in the Alukas jewellery heist in May 2006. The case was solved within 72 hours. The Maharashtra government also announced a Rs 5-lakh reward. Andhra Pradesh paid the money in 10 days time. It was only after then Jt CP Meeran Borwankar got the government to issue the reward

Who can reward?
Following officials are the authority to announce the rewards as under.
Home Secretary- Rs 1 lakh
Director General of Police, Rs 60,000
Commissioner of Police- up to Rs 40,000
Joint Commissioner of Police- up to Rs 25,000
Additional Commissioner of Police- up to Rs 20,000
Zonal Dy Commissioner of Police, up to Rs 15,000

No money yet
2007: The DB Marg cops seized diamonds valued at Rs 25 crore in the Panchratna case. The Sahar police seized diamonds valued at Rs 5 crore.  Then dy CM RR Patil announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh.
December 2002: Then home minister Kripa Shankar Singh announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to Arthur Road jailor Shivshankar Patil and Rs 50,000 for guard Bausaheb Patil when they overpowered a Dawood henchman who assaulted the jailor with a razor. 
1999, Kandahar IC 814 hijack: The Mumbai Crime Branch arrested seven criminals, among them five Pakistanis, from Jogeshwari and seized explosives and AK rifles. The government announced a reward of Rs 5.5 lakh.
The police team, however, got Rs 5,000 reward each given by then joint commissioner (crime) D Sivanandhan.
When asked about pending rewards, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Chitkala Zutshi said, "Please ask the DGP." DGP A N Roy was unavailable for comment.