Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India: 26/11 hero Tukaram Omble's brother says ‘big day…should be hanged’

26/11 Mumbai attacks: Calling the accused Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India a “big day”, Eknath Omble, the brother of Ashok Chakra awardee and 26/11 martyr Tukaram Omble, on Thursday, urged the central government to hang Rana.

Tukaram, a sub-inspector in the Mumbai Police, held onto terrorist Ajmal Kasab's rifle, ensuring his arrest, but succumbed to the bullets during the 26/11 terror attack. Armed only with a baton, he confronted the gunman, allowing security forces to overpower Kasab. He played a crucial role in capturing Kasab alive.

Tukaram was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award, for his bravery during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Eknath Omble on Rana's extradition to India

"Many innocent people and policemen were killed. It was a painful night. Tahawwur Rana was the closest ally of David Headley, who was the mastermind of the attack - they all should have been hanged earlier... But it's a big day for the country. I have a request from the government that he (Tahawwur Rana) should be hanged as soon as possible," Eknath told ANI.

“He should be given such strict punishment that those in Pakistan who facilitate such things should think twice before committing such things... However, we tolerated the delay in Kasab's punishment because it exposed the real face of Pakistan before the world,” he added.

Meanwhile, the central government appointed advocate Narender Mann as Special Public Prosecutor to conduct trials and handle other matters related to National Investigation Agency case RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI against Tahawwur Hussain Rana and David Coleman Headley, who is in a US prison after a plea deal.

The Indian government has been seeking his extradition for years, and the US Supreme Court's recent decision felicitated his transfer to India. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will take custody of him upon arrival. Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for backing the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed more than 174 people.