“This medal has made my wife, kids, and family proud. I am thankful to the former CP, Jt CP, DCP, and current Narsingi detective inspector Rajesh, who helped me receive the award,” Naik said.
Hyderabad: He survived with just a one per cent chance. Today, Raju Naik, 41, serving as head constable at Kollur police station in the Cyberabad commissionerate, holds the Police Gallantry Award for exceptional bravery and dedication to duty — an honour conferred as part of the Independence Day celebrations.
Talking to Deccan Chronicle, he said he could feel his hands and legs and was aware of what was happening, but could not move. “I thought the stretcher was my final deathbed. SOT DCP Narayana Goud informed officials and his family, but even they had little hope. My son, then in Class 6 and staying in a hostel, was brought to the hospital as doctors warned I would not survive,” he recalled.
After a year of recovery, Naik was posted to Kollur as a head constable, where he continues to serve.
At the time of the incident, Naik was a constable with the Madhapur special operations team (SOT), chasing a murder accused who stabbed him. The day of the incident began like any other day for the SOT team, which often operates in mufti to avoid being identified by suspects. They were dispatched to a crime spot in Narsingi. The accused evaded capture at several locations before tower signals traced him to Sanathnagar and Jagadgirigutta. When Naik caught hold of the accused, Kishore, he was stabbed.
“As the knife penetrated inside, I could feel it, but the thought of letting him go to save myself never occurred to me. I had taken an oath to serve the department and maybe that was what drove me to hold on,” he said.
He was rushed on a bike from one hospital to another, with a Green Channel arranged by then commissioner Stephen Raveendra. The then joint CP, now commissioner, Avinash Mohanty, also stood by his family. “I thank them all my life,” Naik said.
His wife, Kavitha, was overjoyed when she heard about the award. After three open surgeries, Naik now travels 30 km daily for work. Kavitha remembered the ordeal: “I was told he would not survive. His body was swollen. I was in utter shock. I didn’t know how to face my kids. I was juggling between two hospitals — one for my husband in coma, the other for my son, who had fallen sick seeing the situation.”
Naik credits his survival to his wife’s support. “Now, I understand the true meaning of soulmate,” he chuckled. “This medal has made my wife, kids, and family proud. I am thankful to the former CP, Jt CP, DCP, and current Narsingi detective inspector Rajesh, who helped me receive the award,” Naik said. He and Kavitha have a 14-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter.
