New Delhi:
Amit Sherawat would have never imagined that his job as a cab driver would make him a hero. His presence of mind and prompt action helped police save a girl from being molested. On Sunday night, the 25-year-old was driving a group of girls home, when his cab was followed and waylaid by five drunk men in an SUV. The men abducted one of the girls and fled from the spot.
"They thrashed me, but I tried to hold them back from pulling the girls out. They overpowered me and pulled one of the girls out. When I saw them snatching away all the cell phones, I pushed mine under the car seat," said Amit.
Amit's timely call swung the police into action. All check posts were alerted and the SUV was chased.
"Calling your officers at 3 am and to have everyone on the road was what worked. The police crashed into the car and asked them to stop, but they escaped only to hit a dead end. They were finally caught," said Chhaya Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police.
The arrested have been identified as Kartar Singh (22), a BSc final-year student and Pramod Singh (23), a final year BBA student. Their three friends Ravish Nagar, Deepak and Arun are absconding.
"The incident leading to the abduction came after a party in Faridabad to celebrate Kartar buying a new SUV. They consumed liquor and then proceeded to Gurgaon. They tried to gain entry into a night club in Gurgaon but were not allowed.
"Subsequently, they went to the mall where they spotted the victim and others. They had a verbal altercation with the victim. As the women left the mall, the men chased them and intercepted them near Ghitorni. They abducted one of the girls and fled towards Faridabad," Sharma said.
It could have been an all too familiar a story the national capital and the NCR is used to - a woman dragged into a car, followed by questions on the promptness of the police and the security of women working at night - but an alert cab driver and prompt police action changed that.
"I urge all cab drivers to rise up to challenges like these and help others," said Amit, who will now be given a cash prize of Rs 5000 and a certificate from the Delhi Police.
(
With PTI Inputs)