14-year old Assamese girl to be honoured for bravery

A brave teen student from Sibasagar in Assam will be honoured for saving her schoolmates from the clutches of their abductors.

14-year-old Gunjan Sharma has been chosen for a bravery award for her courage in giving herself up to armed abductors to save the life of 10 other kids.

On December 4, gunmen hijacked a school van in Sibasagar and to rescue them Gunjan risked her own life.

Later, the kidnappers abandoned Gunjan near the Assam-Nagaland border when chased by the police. She was recovered by the police safely.

Hundreds of people thronged the brave girl's home to praise her.

" At around 2.30 p.m., we got to know that she has been kidnapped and they have taken away the vehicle. Then along with the Simaluguri police and all our friends and relatives, we conducted a search operation along the Assam-Nagaland border the entire night. In the morning we got a call that our daughter has been found and is safe," said Shankar Sharma, Gunjan's father.

Gunjan's bravery is a source of pride not only for her family, but also for the state and the country.

The Assam Government has announced Gunjan's name for the annual State Bravery Award. It will consist of Rs. 2 lakh, a citation and a memento.

" I feel good about the award, but I didn't do it for a reward. I did it because the miscreants were playing with the lives of small children. At that time I didn't know that I would receive an award for this. The children were crying and I decided to save their lives," said Gunjan.

Police has arrested the main accused involved in the abduction. A search is on to nab other members of the gang.