London, Aug. 22 (PTI): A 60-year-old NRI shopkeeper who battered a gun-wielding thief with a broom in Birmingham has been chosen as the first local hero by a popular shopping centre in the city, a newspaper report said.

“It’s nice to be called a hero but I’m sure anyone would have done the same thing to protect themselves and their family,” Rashpal Mattu, who runs Kingsbridge Wines at Bartley Green, told Birmingham Mail.

The attack took place at Mattu’s store last month.

Although the man got away with £200, Mattu said, he was glad that he defended himself and would not hesitate to do the same again.

“My wife and I work hard at this business and for somebody to come here and take what we’ve worked for is wrong,” he said.