‘Kasab killed Ombale’

A ballistic expert on Monday negated Pakistani gunman Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab’s claims that he had not fired at any police official on the night of November 26, 2008.

Vasudev Patil, assistant chemical analyser from Forensic Science Laboratory, Kalina, told the special court that two bullets recovered from assistant sub-inspector Tukaram Ombale’s body matched Kasab’s AK-47 rifle. Patil compared the test bullets fired from Kasab’s rifle and the bullets found in the bodies of victims.

Ombale was part of the police team that had nabbed Kasab at Chowpatty. As per the prosecution, Kasab pulled the trigger at Ombale when he tried to snatch the terrorist’s weapon.

However, on July 20, while admitting to his role in the attacks, Kasab had denied pulling the trigger at Chowpatty during the encounter with the police. He claimed he had lost consciousness when the cops punched him in his abdomen and woke up only at the Nair Hospital. “The evidence of the ballistic expert demolishes Kasab’s plea of guilt before the court. He is an actor,” said Nikam.

“Bullets found in the bodies of eight commuters from CST railway station and Ombale’s body matched the test bullets fired from Kasab’s gun,” explained Nikam.

As per Patil’s deposition, eight empty bullets found at Chowpatty, 64 found at CST railway station, and a few found inside and outside the Cama Hospital premises matched the test bullets fired from Kasab’s AK-47 rifle. Forty-eight empty bullets also found at CST matched the test bullets fired from Abu Ismail’s gun.

“The deposition of the ballistic expert is clinching evidence against Kasab. It is the only evidence that connects him with the victim directly,” said Nikam.

A senior police official said that most of the bullets fired by Kasab and Ismail went through the bodies of the victims. Very few got stuck inside the bodies, he said.