Inspector Vijay Salaskar of the Mumbai crime branch was fatally wounded in a jeep ambush on 26 November 2008 after a firefight at Cama Hospital.
The police team at Cama Hospital
On the night of 26 November 2008, ten heavily armed terrorists attacked several places in Mumbai at the same time. Inspector Vijay Shahadev Salaskar, of the crime branch's Anti Extortion Cell, was part of the police team that rushed to Cama Hospital after the attackers moved there.
A firefight followed and the terrorists shifted position. The police went after them, and their jeep was ambushed. Salaskar and Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte were critically injured.
The Defence Ministry's account says he kept fighting and played a key role in injuring one of the terrorists. He died of his wounds. Joint Commissioner Hemant Karkare and Kamte, who were also part of that response, received the Ashoka Chakra in the same list.
A sub-inspector from 1983
Salaskar joined what was then the Bombay Police as a sub-inspector in 1983. He was attached to the crime branch and headed its Anti Extortion Cell at the time of the attacks.
His wife, Smita Salaskar, received the Ashoka Chakra from President Pratibha Patil at the 60th Republic Day parade in New Delhi on 26 January 2009.
Official text from the Press Information Bureau
On 26th November 2008, ten heavily armed terrorists launched simultaneous attacks at various places in Mumbai. Shri Vijay Shahadev Salaskar, Inspector, Anti Extortion Cell of Crime Branch was part of the police team rushed to Cama Hospital where the terrorists had moved in. A firefight ensued between the terrorist and the police team. As a result, the terrorists were forced to change their position. The Police team pursued the terrorists but in the process their jeep got ambushed and Shri Kamte and Shri Salaskar was critically injured. He however, continued the fight and played key role in injuring one of the terrorists. Shri Vijay Shahadev Salaskar showed raw grit and unparalleled courage against grave odds and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
Source: Press Information Bureau release. Reproduced as printed, including any errors in the original.