07-07-2004, 07:40 PM
Shaurya Chakra for cop who didn't bend in riots
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The police colours that put him apart were just one part of the
story. The other, that has amazingly remained unknown, was this: two
years ago, on March 5, 2002, as the riots swept Gujarat and his
colleagues stood by silently, Rathwa fought off an armed mob of
nearly 200 tribals in Melu Village of Chote Udepur tehsil to save a
Muslim family of seven.
Shot through the thigh, both his arms broken by the angry crowd,
Rathwa ensured that the family was taken away to safety. It took all
his strength and courage. ``I pleaded with the mob that I had
children with me and that they were innocent, but they kept shouting
at me that these people were Muslims and they had to be killed,''
Rathwa recalls.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The police colours that put him apart were just one part of the
story. The other, that has amazingly remained unknown, was this: two
years ago, on March 5, 2002, as the riots swept Gujarat and his
colleagues stood by silently, Rathwa fought off an armed mob of
nearly 200 tribals in Melu Village of Chote Udepur tehsil to save a
Muslim family of seven.
Shot through the thigh, both his arms broken by the angry crowd,
Rathwa ensured that the family was taken away to safety. It took all
his strength and courage. ``I pleaded with the mob that I had
children with me and that they were innocent, but they kept shouting
at me that these people were Muslims and they had to be killed,''
Rathwa recalls.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->