Off-duty guard dies in the line of duty

Mumbai: S Bhosle, the Air India security guard who was killed by the robbers would have hardly imagined that duty would call on a day when he was officially not on the job. The 52-year-old employee had gone to the airline cargo office on his day off to apply for a provident fund loan on Monday morning.
While on his way out, he stopped to chat with the guards on duty, who were inside the guard room next to the cargo complex gate.
"While he was standing a little before the half-open gate, we all heard shouts from inside the complex. On seeing a suspicious vehicle that was trying to barge out, Bhosle tried to shut the gate and in a split second stood before the vehicle to prevent it from leaving the premises,'' said an eyewitness. "Instead of applying the brakes, the driver of the car ran him over and went past,'' he added.
Officials said Bhosle was dragged 15 feet by the vehicle before he fell down outside the gate. "Despite being on duty, no one else came up to prevent the car from going out. Bhosle was the one who answered the call of duty and acted on instinct,'' said another security official.
A resident of old AI colony in Kalina, Bhosle was the sole earning member of a family that comprised his wife, two children and mother. "He had left home after having tea, and was there for personal work,'' said his wife. Bhosle had been serving in AI since the past 27 years.
26/05/09 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Categories: Airports May 2009, NACIL May 2009, Safety May 2009