Praises her extraordinary courage which saved parents' lives
South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes while meeting the Nayak family members at their residence on Wednesday evening.
VASCO
South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes on Wednesday petitioned Chief Minister Pramod Sawant recommending 15-year-old Nakshatra Nayak of Baina for the National Bravery Award, praising her “extraordinary courage” during the armed dacoity reported in the wee hours of Tuesday.
In his letter, Fernandes recounted the dacoity incident when a seven-member gang stormed the Nayak family’s flat and severely assaulted Sagar Nayak, his wife Harsha and their teenage daughter Nakshatra.
Describing the attack as “murderous”, he noted that the girl showed exceptional presence of mind and bravery even as the gang armed with iron rods repeatedly struck her parents.
According to the MP, Nakshatra pleaded with the dacoits to spare her parents and even offered them her piggy bank savings. When her father was being repeatedly hit with an iron rod and was profusely bleeding, Nakshatra stepped forward and took the blow on her forearm to shield him, sustaining injuries herself.
Fernandes added that the teenager remained calm after the assailants fled. She reportedly crawled to the kitchen—through the same window used by the gang—before running down seven floors, knocking on doors and crying for help.
Her frantic efforts woke residents, who then rushed to the flat and shifted her parents to safety for urgent medical attention. The MP stressed that any delay could have proved fatal.
Calling her actions “brave and exemplary”, Fernandes said Nakshatra’s courage had not only saved her parents’ lives but had also set an inspiring example for countless citizens, especially girls and women facing violence.
He described her as a “beacon of resistance” against robbery and murderous assault.
Fernandes urged the Chief Minister to recommend her case to the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) for the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, scheduled to be conferred on January 26, 2026.
He also recommended that she be considered for the Veerjyoti Puraskar or the Rakshak Puraskar for her outstanding bravery. The MP said he would separately write to the Prime Minister, requesting national-level recognition for the teen whom he termed “the pride of Goa”.
