Author: Sarada Lahangir
Publication: DNAIndia.com
Date: April 19, 2017
URL:    http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-attacked-by-mob-in-srinagar-odia-crpf-jawan-s-restraint-wins-heart-2407266

"They asked me to say Pakistan zindabad, but I did not. I am an Indian and my country comes first for me," says Vicky Biswakarma, 26, a CRPF jawan from Sambalpur in Odisha, who came under attack from a mob while returning from a polling booth in Srinagar. Biswakarma's cool and exemplary handling of the situation, which has gone viral on the internet, has won many a heart. "I live for my country and can die for it. I can't bow down under any circumstance because I am a soldier and love my country," he said. A video shot on Sunday shows a group of angry youth targeting the CRPF men who were returning after poll duty in Budgam district.

The situation in Kashmir, where Lok Sabha byelections took place, was very difficult and terrorist groups wanted to create problem in the by-election.

Though equipped with weapons, Biswakarma showed utmost restraint and chose to stay silent while walking down the street even as protestors shouted slogans and pelted stones on him.

On why he did not retaliate to the beatings, the CRPF jawan said: "We are jawans. We have learnt how to keep patience and maintain calm in any chaos situation. My first priority was to protect the electronic voting machines (EVMs) that we were carrying."

"If I am to lose my temper, the situation would have worsened. Also the EVMs we were guarding might have got stolen," he said.