Delhi violence: How RAF officer's quick thinking saved 4 lives

RAF officer Ashok Kumar quick thinking saved four lives from being lynched by a mob, as violence was raging in north-east Delhi last week. Kumar was deployed at Shiv Vihar of north-east Delhi along with 19 other personnel when an autorickshaw driver approached him and told him that three of his passengers had been caught by a mob and were being thrashed.

New Delhi: As the violence was raging in north-east Delhi last week, an officer of Rapid Action Force (RAF) displayed exemplary courage and saved four people from being lynched by a mob of rioters in Shiv Vihar area.

Ashok Kumar, second in command (RAF) of battalion 103, was deployed at Shiv Vihar of north-east Delhi along with 19 other personnel when an autorickshaw driver approached him and told him that three of his passengers had been caught by a mob and were being thrashed.

Sensing the gravity of the matter, Kumar and his team swung into action and rushed towards the spot. They faced some difficulty in reaching the spot as narrow lanes crisscrossed in a mind-boggling pattern.

Speaking to a news agency, Kumar said, "The incident took place on February 27 around 3 pm when a 22-year-old autorickshaw driver was carrying three passengers from Loni (Ghaziabad) to Dayalpur. As soon they entered Shiv Vihar, a mob surrounded the autorickshaw and attacked all of them."

The autorickshaw driver somehow managed to escape and reached to RAF team.

"We wasted no time after being informed about the incident and ran towards the spot through narrow lanes. We saw an aggressive mob of around hundred people who were beating boys mercilessly. We blocked corners leading to the spot and dispersed the mob," told Kumar.

Recalling the horrific incident, the auto driver said that he had never expected such a thing would happen to him.

"Within a couple of minutes, hundreds of people attacked us. I was in deep shock and took a few minutes to believe it was real. The RAF personnel accompanied me without wasting time. They saved all of us and later sent us to a hospital for medical treatment," he said.

RAF officer Ashok Kumar said, "It took us around half an hour to control the mob. It was a life-threatening situation for us too. But we are trained to handle such situations."

The RAF has been deployed along with the police and paramilitary forces in the violence-hit areas.

ANI Report