Satwant Singh Kaleka had sacrificed his life the most heroic way one can imagine by saving lives of several women and children in the Sikh temple when a 40-year old had barged into the temple armed with two handguns that were purchased legally. Kaleka was not a police officer, not a person trained in combat nor was he suitably armed. However, he rushed to the gunman with his ceremonial knife that was not sharp enough to slice a big fruit in half with a strike.

As expected the bravado of the old man had ended soon but he, the president of the temple had bought enough time for the women who were preparing the meal to rush and hide in the pantry and the children going to the Sunday school downstairs to escape from the bullets sprayed by the merciless army veteran. Kaleka had been brought down with several bullets piercing his body from a close range.

"He was a hero through and through," Mr Kaleka's son Amardeep said on Monday. "There couldn't have been a better place for him to lay to rest." Amardeep had come to the temple immediately on Sunday after he heard the terrible news.

The 9mm handgun wielding lunatic had shot one person in the Parking lot and then moved on to kill 5 more including the valiant Satwant Singh Kaleka. He proceeded to ambush the police outside too.

Amardeep had prayed that his community only grew stronger after this incident and still continue to show their love without any discrimination by “by keeping their doors open”, his nephew Kanwardeep Kaleka said.

(AW- Anil)