Cop who saved child during Karauli communal clash hailed as hero

 The communal violence that erupted in Rajasthan's Karauli during a procession last week is continuing to cause political ripples, but the actions of a brave policeman during the clash have attracted attention.

Netresh Sharma (31) took a young child from two women who were trapped in a house that was allegedly set ablaze in the violence.

"I was providing protection to the procession by leading the way on a motorcycle patrol. Suddenly, when the stone pelting began, I rushed back and found two people sitting on the road. They had been injured and requested me to take them to hospital which I did," he told sources.

He said police had to rescue people who were trapped when shops in Karauli were set ablaze. "I suddenly saw a house in the middle of two shops that were burning with two-three women trapped inside. One of them had a child in her arms. As soon as I saw that scene, I rushed into the house... The flames were closing in on the door. The women begged me to help and I told them to give me the child who was already wrapped in a shawl. I took the child in my arms and I told the mother and the other women in the house to run out behind me," Sharma told NDTV.

The image of Sharma holding the child in his arms soon went viral. The Rajasthan Police shared the image on its Twitter handle on Sunday, saying it saluted "the spirit" of Netresh Sharma.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced on Tuesday that Sharma had been promoted to head constable. Gehlot tweeted a video of himself talking to Sharma.

Stones were pelted when a Hindu procession passed through a Muslim-dominated locality in Karauli on April 2, leading to a communal flare-up that resulted in vandalism of shops and arson.

At least 35 people were injured in the unrest. Curfew in Karauli has been extended until April 7. As of Monday, 46 people had been arrested in connection with the violence.

Gehlot had on Monday accused the BJP of attempting to mislead people over the Karauli violence.