Bharat was accompanying his sister Jyoti and her two children to their school on Sunday morning, when he saw three persons in an autorickshaw trying to snatch a gold chain from three women and ran after them. Trying to hold on to the auto, he was dragged for some distance before the miscreants got off and stabbed him in the chest.

Though the three women saw all this, they didn't stop to help Bharat, and it was his sister who took him to Bhagwati Hospital, police said. He was declared dead before admission, since the injuries had caused excessive bleeding. A case of murder was registered at Malad police station.

According to Jagdevrao Jadhav, senior inspector, Malad police station, police have recommended that Bharat should be given a bravery medal because he had shown exceptional courage. It's unfortunate that even though he losthis life, the women he tried to help still haven't come forward to give a description of the accused, he said.

Police have made all efforts to try and get the three women to come forward and have contacted citizens groups in Malad (W), the officer said. Since the women appeared to be Christians, police even made announcements at prominent churches in the area immediately after the incident, but there has been no response so far, he added.

Investigations have drawn a blank as none of the accused have been identified yet, Jadhav said. Police have interrogated notorious characters of the area but haven't got any clue on the culprits, he said. Even the number plate of the auto the culprits were driving turned out to be fake. ``A brave man has lost his life and police are taking this case as a challenge,'' Jadhav said.