Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Homage to Hemant Karkare

Thiruvananthapuram: Hemant Karkare, chief of Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad who died combating terrorists in Mumbai on Wednesday night, often dabbled in palmistry and used his skills to collect money for the embassy’s ladies charity bazaar while he was working as a consular officer at the Indian Embassy in Vienna between 2000 and 2004, former Ambassador and senior Indian diplomat T.P. Sreenivasan told The Hindu.

“We used to put him in one of the stalls as an Indian palmist during the annual charity fair organised by the Indian Ambassador and he was big hit with the crowd,” Mr. Sreenivasan, who worked with the officer in Vienna for five years, said. Mr. Karkare (a 1982 batch IPS officer) was interested in music and compeered shows organised by the embassy.

Mr. Sreenivasan said he woke up with some uneasiness at 2 a.m. on November 27 without knowing that terrorists had struck Mumbai and instinctively switched on the BBC to hear the terrible news that Karkare had fallen to the bullets of a terrorist.

In the TV footage, he appeared calm and collected as he put on the helmet and a bullet-proof jacket before chasing the terrorists. His brave act ended in tragedy. He would be remembered for his patriotism, courage and sacrifice, Mr. Sreenivasan said. Mr. Karkare could have easily found a post in a U.N. agency in Vienna, but he returned home to his chosen profession of protecting his fellow men. He was not unaware of the risks involved, but took them in his stride.

The Prime Minister has honoured Mr. Karkare as a national hero in his address to the nation on Thursday. Mr. Sreenivasan remembered Mr. Karakare’s contribution to fighting terrorism, corruption and money laundering at the U.N. level. He said the valiant officer had left behind a doting family and a huge circle of friends and admirers around the world.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu