Ratan Lal Lohar (left) receives the award from inspector-general of police (central western range) Pallab Bhattacharyya in Guwahati on Friday. Telegraph picture

Guwahati, July 16: Assam police and a citizens’ committee today rewarded Ratan Lal Lohar, the ice-cream vendor who helped avert a possible disaster by detecting a bomb and informing the police about it at Fancy Bazar last evening.

The police arrived and the bomb later exploded but under a bomb blanket, which absorbed most of the impact.

While the police gave him Rs 10,000, the 29 Ward Nagarik Committee at Fancy Bazar handed him Rs 2,100.

The inspector-general of police (central western range) Pallab Bhattacharyya, who handed over the cash reward to the vendor during a citizens’ awareness meeting at Fancy Bazar this afternoon, said Lohar deserved the adulation since he had played a pivotal role in saving scores of lives.

Fancy Bazar has been witness to several blasts in the past and yesterday’s could have been one of the worst.

“It was a powerful blast and could have caused extensive damage both in terms of human casualties and property,” Bhattacharyya said.

“Lohar did not lose time and informed a CRPF patrol as soon as he spotted the unclaimed bag in front of Alaka Hotel. Any delay on his part in relaying the information would have made the police’s task in clearing the area quickly that much difficult,” he said.

“Mujhe bahut khushi hai ki main logo ke liye kuch acchha kar saka (I am happy that I could do something good for the people),” Lohar said, moved by the reward and the people’s gratitude.

He said his reward would mean a lot more if it inspired others to be more alert and help the police in any manner to avert incidents, which could pose danger to life and limb.

Lohar hails from Udaipur in Rajasthan and sells ice-cream only in summer in Guwahati. Every year, he returns home for the winter months.

Kamrup (Metro) deputy commissioner, Prateek Hajela, said the district administration felicitated Lohar with the traditional gamocha.

“He has set an example of how public participation can help avert disasters. We are doing our best, but at the end of the day, without total public support that may not be good enough,” he said.