Aug 14 (Mumbai Mirror): Samba residents Rakesh Sharma and Vikramjeet, who helped capture LeT terrorist Mohammed Naveed in J&K, were honoured with the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bravery Award on Thursday.

We don't think we did anything great. It was small, compared to our soldiers who bear the harsh cold and lay down their lives for the nation." This is what Vikramjeet Sharma, 33, and Rakesh Kumar Sharma, 24, had to say of their valiant effort, that helped the Indian Army capture Laskhar-e-Taiba terrorist Mohammad Naveed, aka Mohammad Usman, 22, in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5.

The two bravehearts, who said they were proud they could help their motherland in their own little way, had come down to Mumbai on Thursday, to receive the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bravery Award, that was bestowed on them by the All India Anti-Terrorism Front at the Press Club.

The two residents of Samba, a small village in Jammu — Vikramjeet works in a chemical factory while Rakesh is a priest — shared the chilling experience of their life, when they were held hostage along with three others by Naveed.

On the morning of August 5, Vikramjeet, who is Rakesh's brotherin-law, intended to visit his in-laws in Chirdi Village, Udhampur District. But as he stepped out of his house, he froze — pointing an AK-47 at him was Naveed, who soon dragged him into some nearby bushes. "I was scared he would kill me. Just then, Rakesh appeared on the scene, and he too was taken hostage," said Vikramjeet.

The duo thought that Naveed was a dacoit, and had no clue that he was actually a terrorist whom the army was hunting for. Naveed and his associate Noman, alias Momin, had attacked a BSF convoy, killing two jawans and injuring 11 others on August 5. While Momin was killed in the gunfight with BSF troopers, Naveed had managed to escape to Samroli, 15 km from the attack site on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway.

Naveen then took the five men hostage, wanting them to escort him to safety. He asked them to find a secluded spot in a nearby area, where he could rest without anybody finding them. Rakesh and Vikramjeet then suggested a nearby forest, and they all trekked 2 kms to the forest. Unknown to Naveed, however, the duo was trying to take him though a longer route, so that they wouldn't arrive at the secluded location soon.

Along the way, Naveed suddenly told them that he was hungry and wanted food and water. "We were still terrified and wondered where we could find some food for him when one of the hostages offered his tiffin," said Vikramjeet. "Another hostage asked him who he was, and Naveed revealed that he had come from Pakistan. He said he had come to our country on a mission, and that was to kill as many Hindu people as his could. That was when we learnt he was a terrorist, and realised the severity of the situation," he added.

After having the food and drinking some water, Naveed got up to leave, asking the others to get up too. But Rakesh had spotted army troops in the distance, and this gave him hope. "I realised that we had to make him wait for some time at the spot to save ourselves and give the troops time to get there," said Rakesh. He then convinced Naveed to continue resting for a while, assuring him there was no threat.

Moments later, however, Naveed spotted the approaching troops and jumped up, reaching for his AK-47. Plucking up all their courage both Rakesh and Vikramjeet, pounced on Naveed. Rakesh held his hands while Vikramjeet grabbed his neck and together they pinned him down. The two then held him secure for a good 45 minutes, till the troops arrived.

"Each second, he kept begging and pleading with us to let him have his gun. He vowed he would let us go, but we used all our strength to ensure he couldn't move till the forces reached us," said Rakesh.

The two said that the BSF men congratulated them for their valour, and the J&K government has promised them jobs. "Young people need to interact with these brave men. Their story should be a source of inspiration to do service for the country," said AIATF chairman M S Bitta.

On their trip to Mumbai, the duo met film director Kabir Khan, and actor Suniel Shetty who was present at their felicitation said that he would be interested in making a film based on their real life account.