Leaving Out Salaskar

Sudharkar Suradkar, an ex-IPS officer, spoke at a press conference today. The conference was about Rambai Nagar firing case.

Suradkar said that Manohar Kadam, who got lifer for unwarranted firing on the mob, was a small fry. Top officers should have been sent to the jail.

While at it, he said, "Write this if you want. The then CP (Commissioner of Police) was a known bribe-taker. Nothing would get done till his palms were greased. And if you approached him through his wife, he charged less. He charged even lesser if you went through his kept woman."

Interesting. The year (of firing incident) is 1997. Who was the Mumbai CP then?

Anyway. He further said: "We need officers like Karkare, Ashok Kamte. Do we have men like these two in the force today?"

Did you notice something? Suradkar didn't name the third of the troika: Vijay Salaskar. Karkare, Kamte and Salaskar are generally bracketed while talking about 14 cops who died during 26/11. Because others, including Tukaram Ombale who delivered Kasab, were faceless.

But Suradkar left out Salaskar. Some months ago I heard Julio Rebeiro, the Punjab supercop, talking about 26/11. He too paid tribute to Karkare, Kamte. Never once mentioned Salaskar.

Why?