Source: HindustanTimes
Recently a 15-year-old girl named Kusum made headlines after she fought off motorcycle-borne snatchers who were trying to flee with her mobile phone. The exemplary courage shown by the young woman was worth the praise as she didn’t back down despite one of the snatchers yielding a sharp weapon towards her.
According to a leading news portal, the incident happened on a Sunday afternoon when Kusum was returning home after her tuition classes. Two men came on a bike, one of whom attacked her from the back and snatched her mobile phone. Kusum immediately ran behind the bike and grabbed the man by his t-shirt. The attacker grabbed Kusum by her hair and attacked her with a sharp weapon. The 15-year-old continued to fight the attacker until one of the residents heard the noise and came to her rescue.
When Kusum Fought For Her Most Prized Possession
Image: IndiaTimes
If you’re wondering what made Kusum fight the attacker with such bravery, it was for her most prized possession—the smartphone. Kusum constantly uses her phone whether it is to check messages from her classmates regarding online work or new notes. In an interview with a news portal, Kusum revealed that her phone didn’t come easy as her father had to work really hard to get her the new phone for online classes. Kusum relied on her phone for her studies ever since schools were shut and classes were conducted online due to the pandemic. Kusum is the daughter of a daily wage worker, and knew that if her phone was gone, her father wouldn’t be able to afford another one. Kusum heavily relies on her phone for her studies as all her notes and chapters shared by teachers are stored in it.
Kusum is a resident of the Fatehpuri Mohalla in Jalandhar. Her father is a daily wager who earns around Rs.300 a day. Talking to the media, Kusum revealed that the pandemic put them in a financial crisis. But despite the challenges, her father decided to buy her a phone by making payments in installments so that she can continue her online classes. Kusum also has an 18-year-old brother who now works as a driver as he had to drop out of school due to their poor financial situation. The 15-year-old aspires to become an IAS officer and make her dad proud.
Talking about the incident, Kusum revealed that only one thought raced through her mind when she was fighting the attackers. She knew that if the attackers had their way, her studies would get affected as her father wouldn’t be able to afford another phone.
Taekwondo To The Rescue
Image: IndianExpress
Kusum had been learning taekwondo for the past 3 months by watching online videos, which helped her fight the attacker. She suffered a wrist injury in the incident when the pillion rider, Avinash Kumar, 23, tried to snatch her phone and attacked her with a knife. Both the accused, who already had several criminal cases against them, were arrested under Sections 307 and 379-B of the Indian Penal Code. Avinash, who attacked her with a knife as well as the motorcycle rider, Vinod Kumar were released on bail to prevent overcrowding amid the pandemic.
Kusum was admitted to a private hospital in Jalandhar where she was offered free treatment. Several local politicians came to the hospital to meet the brave young woman. Kusum was also given Rs 51,000 as a reward for her bravery by the local administration. Her name was also recommended for state and national bravery awards.
We applaud the young girl’s valor and hope that she achieves her dream of becoming an IAS officer.
