Hero Ghulam shows no fear

Shopkeeper Ghulam Naser who disarmed the disturbed neighbour threatening to kill himself with a knife.

A HERO shopkeeper who risked his own safety to save a man’s life insists that he would do it all again in a heartbeat.

When one of his customers locked himself in a kitchen, switched the gas on and threatened to slit his wrists, Ghulam Nasir put fears for his own safety to one side and immediately raced to the man’s rescue.

The drama unfolded on Tuesday afternoon when the man’s flat mate ran into the Best Inn Convenience store in St Mary’s, where Ghulam is the owner, and said he needed his help.

Ghulam immediately ran to the address, just doors away from his Shaw Street shop, and found that the house was filled with an overwhelming smell of gas and the kitchen door was locked, so he quickly broke it down.

Once inside the kitchen Ghulam found the man holding a knife to his wrists, so the fearless shop keeper dragged him to the ground and seized the knife before he could hurt himself.

He said: “I just jumped on him and brought him to the ground. It was a reflex action and I only later realised that I could have been killed in an instant if somebody had lit a match or a lighter.

“The man has two flat mates, who were both in the house with us and all four of us could have easily been blown up. When I think about it now it makes me feel quite shaken

“I don’t feel like a hero. Anyone would have done it. If you know someone is in danger or could die, you have to do the best you can to help and I’d do it again.”

It is believed that the man is an Algerian Asylum-seeker and is concerned about being deported.

Ghulam said: “It’s really sad, because the guy had been coming in my shop for three or four weeks before this incident and you could have a nice chat with him.

“He had become quieter in the days before and I think he was frightened he would be shot if he was sent home because he had criticised the Government.”

A police spokesperson said: “Shortly before 4.30pm on Tuesday, police were called to a house on Shaw Street, Oldham, following reports of a concern for the welfare of a man who was holding a knife.

“Nobody was injured and a man was detained under the Mental Health Act.”