How Karkare went to Cama

ATS chief Hemant Karkare, DIG Ashok Kamte and inspector Vijay Salaskar were at their homes when they heard of the attack.

ATS chief Hemant Karkare, DIG Ashok Kamte and inspector Vijay Salaskar were at their homes when they heard of the attack. Karkare in his official vehicle reached Haj House where police had blocked traffic following the terrorist strike at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST). There, Karkare donned a bullet-proof vest and helmet and walked to CST.

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Meanwhile, Salaskar had reached the Taj Hotel. Joint commissioner of Police (crime) Rakesh Maria, who was in the control room, asked him to rush to the Colaba police station where two Israelis had been detained. Salaskar found they had gone to Nariman House to try and help their relatives who were held hostage.

Maria called again and asked Salaskar to rush to Cama Hospital where Additional Commissioner of Police Sadanand Date had been injured. On the way Salaskar met Karkare in the lane adjacent to the Times of India building. They headed towards the Special Branch office at Dhobi Talao, behind Cama Hospital. Kamte joined them there.

Just then, ACP Pydhonie arrived in his Qualis. Kamte asked him to hand over the vehicle. Salaskar took the wheel while Kamte beside him. Karkare sat behind them and three constables in the seats at the rear end. They received a message that two terrorists were seen trying to steal a vehicle near Rang Bhawan, behind St Xavier’s College. They moved there.

Salaskar, Karkare, Kamte and two constables were hit and collapsed. The terrorists pulled the officers out and drove away. Constable Arun Jadhav lay injured with the bodies of his colleagues in the back of the vehicle.