A man in Taraz, Kazakhstan has been officially honored after preventing the attempted abduction of a 13-year-old schoolgirl.

The incident took place on February 16 near a bus stop in Taraz, where unidentified men tried to force the teenage girl into a car. According to witnesses, a man who was at the bus stop intervened, confronting the suspects and disrupting the attempt. The attackers fled the scene, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

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Police later detained the suspects and launched a pre-trial investigation.

The rescuer was identified as Nurken Umarov, a resident of Taraz. During a special ceremony at the Zhambyl Region Police Department, he was awarded a certificate of appreciation and a wristwatch for his bravery.

“Sometimes heroism is not defined by rank or uniform. It is shown in the ability to make the right decision in a critical moment and step forward to help,” said Kaisar Sultanbayev, head of the Zhambyl Region Police Department. “Thanks to your swift action, a teenager’s safety was ensured. This is a contribution not only to one family’s peace of mind, but to the security of society as a whole.”