Acts of humanity bring honours to these common man 'heroes'

KOLKATA: Like most, who don;t think twice about helping people in distress, Kunal Gupta doesn't believe he's a braveheart or a hero.

On March 31 last year, Gupta (36), a contractual KMC employee, was at a diagnostics centre in

Girish Park

, when a part of the under-construction

Vivekananda Road

flyover collapsed, trapping several people and vehicles under it. Twentyseven people died and more than 80 were injured in the incident. Gupta was among the first to reach the spot, even before cops arrived, and he remained there till the next morning, helping the authorities extricate people--dead and alive--from under the debris, not caring about his own safety. When even the police had feared to enter a gap, Gupta wriggled inside and rescued a cabby, over 10 hours after the collapse.In all, he brought at least 12 people to safety.

He, along with 11 civilians and 200-odd cops, was felicitated by chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday for their gallantry and unblemished track record respectively. “I hadn't dont anything, hoping for a reward. I helped them out of humanity and nothing else,“ said Gupta.

Among those honoured were Uber driver

Binod Nayak

and yellow cabby Lakhsman Rai. Nayak's presence of mind last Saturday saved a 27-year old woman, who was being molested after possibly being kidnapped by six youths near Wellington. Nayak had called police, who rescued her and arrested the accused. Rai found a bag full of ammunition left behind by RPF personnel during polls last year in his taxi and returned it to the police station.Receiving the award, both had similar reactions: “It feels great to be recognised for doing something good.“

Other civilians to receive the award were tailor Abdul Ajim, who tried to save an epileptic patient from drowning, cabbies Jhantu Sardar and Pulak Pal for returning cash and jewellery to passengers, minors Mallika Majumdar, Jamuna Mudi and Sahida Khatoon for refusing to be married and ambulance driver

Krishna Karmakar

for ferrying a pregnant woman to hospital, while being chased by robbers in Nadia.