Brave girl with 'soft heart' wins many hearts in Mizoram

She is not just brave but also soft at heart.

Caroline Malsawmtluangi, an 11-year-old girl from Aizawl, who received this year's National Bravery Award shared half of her cash award with the seven-year-old girl, whom she rescued from her suspected kidnappers in June last year.

She also presented the victim with a silver necklace and clothes, which she bought in Delhi, where she was given the award on the Republic Day.

Caroline, a resident of Zuangtui locality in Mizoram capital Aizawl kept asking her parents about the girl since she rescued her. Caroline’s mother Lalsangzeli said she became more concerned after knowing about the poor financial condition of her parents. She wanted to share half the money she received (Rs. 20,000) with the bravery award.

Recently, her parents took her to the girl's village in South Mizoram's Lelunglei district, where she was welcomed warmly by the villagers. She hugged the victim girl and paid the cash (Rs. 10,000) and the "gifts" she bought for her in Delhi.

"I wanted to help her with the money as she is poor," Caroline told Indian Council for Child Welfare officials, who nominated her name for the National Bravery Award.

She was among 22 children who were honoured with the award this year.

"She has always been concerned about poor children and animals," Caroline's mothers told reporters in Aizawl.

In June last year, Caroline became a sensation in social media after rescuing a seven-year-old girl, who was allegedly being kidnapped for trafficking by a woman.

Trafficking of minor girls is a serious issue in the Northeast, including in Mizoram.

Caroline was playing volleyball with her friends near her home when she spotted a young woman, accompanied by a stranger child, on June 10. The next day, two policemen visited the area looking for a girl who had gone missing from a village in Lunglei district.

Caroline was showed a photograph of the missing girl. When she saw the girl with the woman again the next day, Caroline tricked the abductors, immediately picked up the girl, carried her on her back and ran towards her home. Her parents reunited the minor with her family.

The accused, identified as Zonunsangi Fanai, aged about 30-years, was arrested and later sent to jail.