It’s difficult to erase the mental image of Singh holding a muslim men close to his chest to sheild him from a mob at Garjiya Devi temple near Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar.
On May 22, the 28-year-old police officer risked his life to ensure the safety of a young man who ran the risk of being lynched by a communally-charged mob. The 23-year-old Muslim was spotted with a 19-year-old Hindu girl near the temple premises and according to Ashok Kumar, ADG (law and order), locals wanted to “teach the duo a lesson”.
When Singh was alerted about the situation, he rushed to the spot. He found a mob, alleging ‘love jihad‘, preparing to thrash the couple. Singh turned himself into a human shield, saving the young man. In the process, he also received several blows. Upon failing to lynch the Muslim man, the crowd began chanting anti-police slogans. Kumar said the mob, however, was eventually dispersed. The couple was taken to a police station and handed over to their families.
