Bravery award for Alappuzha boy

ALAPPUZHA: It is a proud moment for Alappuzha. Sebastian Vincent (Neeraj), the Class VII student of Leo XIII Higher Secondary School, Alappuzha, is the only child from the state chosen for the national award for bravery of Indian Council for Child Welfare this year. He was selected for the award for saving his friend Abhijit from death. The incident occurred on July 19, 2016 morning. Sebastian Vincent, who was a Class VI student then, was on the way to school with his friends including Class VII student Abhijith, on their bicycle. "We were crossing a railway track and Abhijith's shoe got caught between the rail and sleeper. He fell on the track with his bicycle and school bag on him. A train was approaching fast and he could not get up due to the weight of the bicycle. Soon I took the bicycle and schoolbag. I tried to pull him out of the track but couldn't. So I kicked Abhijit off the track and the train passed without touching us. But my right hand was fractured in the incident," said Sebastian Vincent recalling the incident."My only aim was to save the life of my friend and I never thought of this award at that time. It was my school teachers who helped us to apply for this award," he said.The award will be presented to him by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Republic Day.Sebastian's father Vincent (Sony) is a lifeguard with Alappuzha DTPC and his mother Mary Gracy is an Asha worker in Alappuzha municipality. His elder sister Nimisha is a degree student at St Michael's College Alappuzha.