The four Class XII students who had rescued their teacher from being assaulted by some parents at Dhakuria station on Tuesday morning and took blows themselves have been nominated for a bravery award given by the state government.

The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights has nominated Ayantika Pramanik, Indrani Das, Tanushree Prasad and Poulomi Sinha for the Birangana Award, which will be given away on November 20.

Tanushree told Metro she felt both proud and ashamed on hearing news of the nomination. “It’s a matter of joy. But I still shudder to recollect the way ‘Rupa Miss’ was being assaulted. How could this happen in full public glare? I pray this does not happen again,” she said.

Rupa Bhattacharya, a teacher in the primary section of a south Calcutta school, was assaulted after a protest broke out at the institution over the alleged molestation of a child by another teacher.

The four students, all of the same school, had just got off a train on platform 2 when they saw a group of parents pouncing on Bhattacharya on platform 1.

They immediately jumped off the platform, ran across the tracks and mounted platform 1 before pleading with the parents to let go of their teacher. When the parents refused, the students formed a protective ring around Bhattacharya.

Some of the parents even assaulted the students. The situation could have worsened had police not turned up in time and rescued Bhattacharya and the students.

“We wanted to recognise the spirit displayed by the girls by nominating them for the Birangana Award,” said Ananya Chatterjee Chakraborti, chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights.