Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (MS)

Panaji, Apr 28: Jui Navare, daughter of late Hemant Karkare, chief of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, who lost his life in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack has said that all Indians should remembers that her father tried to protect the city and the country even in his death. She also stressed that for him, his uniform and love for the country came ahead of his own life and family.

Navare was responding to the recent statement given by 2008 Malegaon blast accused and present candidate of BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, Sadhvi Pragya Thakur on her martyred father in social media. Navare said that she does not want to dignify Sadhvi or the statement given by her about her father. She said, "Ï only want to talk about my father. He was a role model and his name should be taken with dignity."

Jui Navare

"Hemant Karkare taught that there is no religion associated with acts of terrorism. No religion professes killing of people. This ideology needs to be defeated. He helped each and every one in his career spanning 24 years in the police department. Even at the time of his death he was trying to save his city and country. For him, his uniform had place higher than that of his family members and his own life. I just want everyone to remember Hemant for that," added Navare from her home in the United States.

Jui Navare (38), is settled in the USA with her husband and two daughters. She is the eldest daughter of Karkare's three children.

In her recent statement after being nominated as the BJP candidate for the Lok Sabha elections of 2019, Sadhvi Pragya Thakur had said that Hemant Karkare, who was leading the investigation of the Malegaon blast case in which she is one of the accused, died because she cursed him.

Hemant Karkare had arrested 11 people, including Sadhvi Pragya in the Malegaon blast case in October 2008, barely a month before the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

According to Navare, Hemant Karkare was completely engrossed in the investigation of the Malegaon blast case and his wife, mother of Navare was scared of his life as she knew that he was handling a very sensitive case that had severe implications. Karkare's wife died in 2014 due to brain haemorrhage.

Defending her father Jui Navare said, "I fully affirmed his findings in the case. I was damn sure that whatever my father did was correct. He always went by the rules and regulations. As a daughter I knew him very well. He always ensured justice. It was obvious for me but I never spoke about it."