Retired Gorkha takes on 40 armed robbers

A train robbery in West Bengal went horribly awry for a gang of 40 bandits armed knives, swords and pistols – when they encountered the sharp end of a retired Gorkha’s khukuri.

The robbers stopped the train and were busy relieving passengers of their valuables when they came across an 18-year-old woman in coach AC3. Shrestha, who was sitting in seat no. 47 explained what happened when the gang attempted to rape an 18-year-old girl:

The girl cried for help, saying ´You are a soldier, please save a sister´, I prevented her from being raped, thinking of her as my own sister.

He drew his khukuri, “took one of the robbers under control”, and launched a fearsome attack. In the course of action, which lasted approximately twenty minutes, Shrestha suffered a serious laceration to his hand and the girl received a cut to the neck – but his adversaries fared far worse; three were killed, eight were wounded and the rest escaped empty handed.

I am proud to be able to prove that a Gorkha soldier with a khukuri is really a handful. I would have been a meek spectator had I not carried that khukuri.

For his heroics, Shrestha will receive three awards for gallantry from the Indian army: the Sourya Chakra, Bravery Award and Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Medal. He’s also been given two guards for his month-long holiday in Nepal (his homeland), 50,000 rupees, discounted travel and his old Army job back (with a promotion of course). [My Republica via Forums Officer; Image]