Dubai Police honour expat who saved 5 from sinking SUV during floods last year
Shahvez Khan, a 28-year-old trainee auditor from India, was given a police medal and a Dh1,000 cash award by Dubai Police for bravery following floods in April last year.
Khan, who had put his life on the line to rescue five people trapped in a sinking SUV, received the recognition during a glittering award ceremony held at Dubai Police Headquarters recently.
He was awarded a certificate and a medal by Colonel Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri, Acting Director for Community Happiness, as well as a cheque for his courageous act.
Khan described the moment as surreal and felt overwhelmed by the recognition. “I can hardly believe it; it was simply doing what anyone should do in that situation,” he said. I was shocked when I got the call from Dubai Police. It was like a dream standing there with a medal.
The Phalauda boy wasted no time in announcing about his achievement to his family back home at a small town in Meerut. Khan said, The first thing I did was call my parents. “They were overjoyed. My mom kept saying, ‘That day you scared us, but today you made us proud.' "
A video of this daring rescue went viral, highlighting Khan's courage. Just after completing his Asr prayers on April 16, Khan, who lives in the International City neighbourhood, saw a yellow SUV stuck in the rapidly rising waters in the vicinity of Coca-Cola Arena as torrential rains battered various parts of Dubai.
He didn’t hesitate, leaping 20 feet into the water and smashing through the glass roof of the car with a hammer handed to him moments earlier by a bystander.
Khan remembered seeing them “wide-eyed and panicking, banging on the windows, gasping for air. There was no time to think; just time to do.
Khan was hurt by the shards of glass and as he fell, but he still guided all five of the occupants — two Arab men, an Indian woman, a Filipina, and an Indian man — to safety. He suffered deep cuts on his hands and feet jeopardising his cricketing career but he has no regrets from his deed.
Khan explained: "It was never for recognition". But clearly people recall it and hold some sentiment towards it, and that is very valuable. All I hope is that this inspires others to lend a hand when someone is in trouble.
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