When Neeraj, 37, joined his colleagues in Haryana Police to contain the communal violence that spilled over to Gurugram from Nuh on Monday, little did he or anyone in his family anticipate that it was going to be his last day of duty in uniform.
Having served the Haryana Police with discipline and dedication for 15 years, Home Guard Neeraj, a Muslim man with a Hindu name, was the sole bread-earner of his family.
As communal violence in the Nuh district of Haryana spread to the adjoining Gurugram district, the Kherki Daula police station, where Khan was posted, received frantic calls for help from panic-stricken citizens.
Neeraj, a resident of Garhi Wajidpur village in Gurugram, joined his colleagues as they went out to confront a violent mob carrying weapons such as guns, swords, iron rods, sticks and stones.
As his colleagues were attacked by a raging mob, Neeraj also sustained a number of grievous blows from sticks and rods all over his body.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on Monday evening.
Neeraj is survived by his wife Vakila, two children -- Nitin (10) and Nikita (6), and brothers, Sunil Khan and Sonu Khan.
As the inconsolable family mourned the tragedy, Neeraj's eldest brother, Sonu Khan, fought tears as he remembered the final moments with his brother.
"He was a fun-loving man. We met for the last time on Monday morning before Neeraj left for work. We were talking about fitness and workouts and Neeraj also joked that I need to reduce my body weight," Sonu Khan told IANS.
Despite being Muslim, all the male members of the family have Hindu names, while females have Muslim names.
"We live in a Hindu-dominated village which has a few Muslim families. Since we were living in peace, harmony and brotherhood with our Hindu neighbours, our forefathers had decided to adopt Hindu names," Sonu Khan said.
Even as this week's communal clashes in Nuh and Gurugram threatened to rip apart the social fabric in the surrounding regions, the Khans are determined to keep the spirit of inter-community harmony alive.
Meanwhile, an official said that the families of deceased home guards -- Neeraj and Gursev, who lost their lives in the violence, will be provided an assistance of Rs 57 lakh each by the Haryana Police.
Two drowned in Pune bridge collapse, PM Modi speaks to CM Fadnavis
At least two people were killed, 32 others injured, while a total of 41 people were rescued after they fell into an overflowing river when an old bridge they were crossing collapsed in Maharashtra's Pune district on Sunday.
Haifa port in Israel operating normally despite Iran attack
There has been no damage to Israel’s Haifa port in the Iranian ballistic missile attack on an oil refinery nearby and cargo operations are progressing unhindered, according to media reports.
No recommendation, no discrimination: HM Amit Shah hails UP’s inclusive recruitment drive
In a historic ceremony, Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath distributed appointment letters to 60,244 newly selected police personnel at the Defence Expo Ground in Sector 18, Vrindavan. Out of these 60,000 recruits, more than 12,000 comprised women.
Round-the-clock DNA profiling underway: FSL Gandhinagar Director explains complex process
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has been operating around the clock to identify victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash through DNA profiling and matching.
Civil Aviation Ministry issues strict instructions to DGCA to enforce chopper safety
In the wake of a tragic helicopter crash in the Gaurikund area of Uttarakhand, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Sunday issued strict instructions to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to enforce all safety protocols related to chopper operations in hilly and sensitive areas like the Kedarnath valley.
‘Harming Indians will invite punishment’, HM Shah on Op Sindoor
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that through the anti-terror Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent a strong message across the world that the bloodshed of Indians will invite punishment.
Dassault CEO trashes Pakistan's claims on downing Rafale jets
Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has dismissed as "factually incorrect" Pakistan’s claims about having shot down three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor.
Tripura BJP stages protest over vandalism at Tagore's ancestral home in B'desh
Ruling BJP in Tripura on Saturday staged state-wide protests along the Bangladesh border, protesting the recent attack and vandalism of the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in the neighbouring country.