Shot from Kasab's rifle killed Constable Ombale: report

Rejecting the claim made by Mohammad Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist of the Mumbai terror attacks that killed about 180 people last November, that he had not fired at any police officer, a ballistic expert on Monday told the special court, that is trying the case in Mumbai, that two of the bullets recovered from the body of a slain police constable had been fired from Kasab's AK-47 rifle.

"The two bullets found lodged in Tukaram Ombale's body tallied with Kasab's rifle," ballistic expert Vasudev Patil told the court.

Patil also told the court that a total of eight bullets recovered from the bodies of eight persons -- both dead and injured in the attack at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus -- were fired from Kasab's rifle.

Kasab had earlier in July, while admitting to his role in the attacks, told the court that he had not fired a single shot from his rifle at Chowpatty in south Mumbai during the encounter with the police.

Ombale was killed in the Chowpatty encounter.

Kasab had then told the court that the police officials had snatched his rifle and that he had been assaulted with lathis even as his partner and slain terrorist Abu Ismail kept firing.

"The ballistic expert's deposition has proved Kasab completely wrong. This shows how he has been lying to the court and how he has been suppressing several facts," said special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam. He added that the 64 empty shells found at CST and eight empty shells recovered from Chowpatty had also been fired from Kasab's rifle.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Home Minister Jayant Patil said the government was expecting a final decision on the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case by September 15.