Heroic Indian policeman runs 1km with live bomb to protect 400 children

'My only aim was to carry the bomb as far away as possible from there,' says officer Abhishek Patel

Abhisek Patel (ANI)

A policeman who carried an unexploded bomb away from a school for almost one kilometre has been given a bravery award in India.

The device was found in the playground of a school in the small town of Chitora in Uttar Pradesh state. It is attended by around 400 pupils.

The origins of the bomb are unknown, but there is an army range nearby.

Following its discover, the bomb squad was unavailable. So risking his life, officer Abhisek Patel picked up the 10kg device and ran it away from the pupils.

“Since it was a residential area and a school compound, my only aim was to carry the bomb as far away as possible from there,” officer Patel told NDTV. “We have learnt during our training that had it exploded, it would have damaged 500 metres of the surrounding area."

He added: "I thought that 400 lives are much more valuable than a single life."

The officer received a reward of 50,000 INR (£600) for his act of bravery.

His team were also commended for their bravery and quick thinking.