Mumbai: New spider species named after 26/11 martyr who caught Kasab

In a poignant gesture a group of naturalists have named a new spider species discovered in Kalyan Thane in memory of the 2611 martyr Tukaram G Omble the man who helped nab Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab alive during the 2611 terror strikes in MumbaiThe new jumping spider male sexspecies found last year in an urban locality of Kalyan town has been christened as Icius Tukarami said Ahmedabadbased photographer and wildlife enthusiast Dhruv PrajapatiSimultaneously another group comprising Rajesh Sanap Somnath Kumbhar and John Caleb discovered another unknown spider species distributed in Aarey Colony Mumbai and also 50 kms away in Kalyan and named it as Phintella Cholkei in 2017 and 2019 respectivelyThis is in memory of Kumbhars friend Kamlesh Cholke who used to collect and provide us with different species of spiders It has unique body pattern and genital organs not seen in other spiders Sanap told IANSAlso read Tiger seen in Guatala Autramghat Wildlife Sanctuary a first after 1940The latest finds have been described and published in a research paper published in an internationallyreputed journal Arthropoda Selecta jointly by Prajapati and Ravi Dutt Kamboj both of Gujarat Ecological Education amp Research Foundation Sanap and Caleb of Indian Institute of Ecology amp Environment and Kumbhar who meticulously collected both the species from the wildOn the move to name the species after the Mumbai 2611 hero Prajapati said that he was deeply impressed by the extraordinary valour and bravery in the line of duty displayed by Omble when south Mumbai was under a 60hour siege during Nov 2628 2008A former Indian Army soldier who retired and joined as an Assistant Sub Inspector of Police attached to the D B Marg Police Station in 1991 Omble 54 hailed from Satara and was manning a checkpost at Girgaum Chowpatty at the height of the terror strikes in the wee hours of November 27Soon afterwards the heavily armed Kasab and his associate Abu Ismail were seen speeding down the deserted Marine Drive in a stolen Skoda but it was stopped at the traffic post near ChowpattyIn the indiscriminate firing by the two bloodthirsty terrorists and retaliated by the policemen on duty Ismail was shot deadHowever Kasab was caught alive by Omble who managed to overpower him despite being pumped by over 40 bullets fired from an AK47 which later claimed his lifeAs his gallantry became a legend Omble was declared a Martyr and conferred with the countrys highest peacetime honour the Ashok Chakra in 2009It is to keep his memories and fearlessness alive in public minds I decided to dedicate this new species of spider in Ombles name Prajapati saidEarlier Prajapati has named new spider species after two Bharat Ratnas former President A P J Abdul Kalam and cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar besides Kashmiri Martyr and Indian Army soldier Nazi Ahmed Wani who was slain by Hizbul Mujaheddin terrorists in 2018 and was conferred the Ashok Chakra 2019On the significance of the latest discoveries Sanap said that Spiders are microhabitat specialists sensitive to sudden changes which make them ideal indicators of the ecosystem functionThey are an integral component of the food web control insect populations and even minor environmental changes can either hit or wipe out their population hence they must be conserved Sanap explainedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever