By IANS,
Malegaon (Maharashtra) : A grateful Malegaon town Wednesday decided to name a main road in memory of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare who was killed combatting terrorists in Mumbai, the city mayor said.
“A proposal was tabled in the Malegaon Municipal Council meeting this afternoon and it was unanimously approved,” Mayor Najmuddin Sheikh Gulzar told IANS Wednesday.
The road – between Bhikhu Chowk to Nehru Chowk and a little over a kilometre long – will be known as ‘Shahid Hemant Karkare Marg’, and the naming ceremony will be performed soon, according to Gulzar.
The busy Bhikhu Chowk is also the site of the Sep 29 bomb explosion in which five people were killed and at least 11 were injured.
Malegaon has a population of around 700,000 of which nearly 75 percent are Muslims.
Karkare directed the investigations into the case, which culminated in the arrests of 11 people, including Sadhvi Pragnya Singh Thakur and a serving army officer, Lt.Col. Prasad S. Purohit, allegedly belonging to Hindu extremist groups.
Famous as the face of anti-terrorism force in Maharashtra, Karkare laid down his life battling terrorists outside the Cama & Albless Hospital early Nov 27 morning during the Mumbai terror attacks.
“Karkare is a much revered martyr in Malegaon and the civic body decided to name a road in his honour,” Gulzar said.
M.H. Ronaque, a Mumbai resident who also has a residence in Malegaon, said the people of the city who considered Karkare a hero were stunned when they learnt of his martyrdom in the anti-terrorist operation.
“As a gesture of solidarity with the victims of the Mumbai terror attacks and to mourn the slain police officials, the city celebrated Bakr Eid last week practising austerity and wearing black arm-bands,” Ronaque said.