The IPS Association has condemned the remarks made by BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur about former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare and said it was an insult to the officer who died in action during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

On Friday, Thakur said Karkare had treated her “very badly” and died because she had “cursed” him.

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“Ashok Chakra awardee late Hemant Karkare, IPS, made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected,” the Indian Police Service (Central) Association posted a tweet from its official handle on Friday.

Ashok Chakra awardee late Sri Hemant Karkare, IPS made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected.

— IPS Association (@IPS_Association) April 19, 2019

READ | Hemant Karkare died because I cursed him: Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur

Earlier in the day, news agency ANI released a video in which Thakur could be heard saying: “(the) probe panel official called Hemant Karkare and asked him to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said he would bring evidence from anywhere but not leave me.”

“I told him, you will be ruined. And you won’t believe me, he died in less than one and a half months,” she said (in Hindi).

Hemant Karkare, along with two more senior police officers Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar, were killed outside Cama Hospital in Mumbai after terrorists including Ajmal Kasab, who was later caught alive, and his partner Abu Ismail opened fire at their police van on November 26, 2008.

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Less than two months prior to that, six persons were killed and over 100 sustained injuries in a bomb blast in Malegaon, Maharashtra, on September 29, 2008. Hemant Karkare was probing the case, and he had tracked down the owner of the motorcycle that had been used in the crime. The motorcycle was found to be that of Thakur. The Maharashtra ATS arrested Thakur on October 24, 2008.

Taking over the case in 2011, the National Investigation Agency gave a clean chit to Thakur in May 2016.

On 17 April, the BJP announced Thakur’s candidature from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency against Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. The Madhya Pradesh capital goes to polls in the sixth phase on May 12, and Thakur is likely to file her nomination papers on 23 April.