New Delhi, Jan 7 (IANS) Retired Delhi University professor M.K. Kapoor and four others were rewarded Rs.25,000 Wednesday for putting a brave face and grappling with armed assailants to help foil a bank robbery in south Delhi earlier this week.Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal gave Rs.25,000 each to the 75-year-old Kapoor, senior manager of Central Bank of India’s Kalkaji branch Prem Chand Bairwa, bank employee Karam Vir Singh and two civilians Raj Kumar Rai and Rati Ram.

“(The) commissioner appreciated their exemplary courage and spirit which resulted in foiling the robbery attempt at Central Bank of India Kalkaji Branch Monday,” said Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat.

Three accused Mohammed Ishtyak, 24, Majid, 21, and Ahmed Shaheed, 24 - all residents of Meerut - were arrested after a brief shootout with the police Monday afternoon for attempting to rob the Kalkaji bank branch in Krishna Market of south Delhi.

Two policemen, Ashok and Vikram, and tea vendor Raj Kumar were injured in the shootout.

Kapoor, 75, who was in the bank at the time of incident, showed courage and caught hold of one of the assailants, who, however, managed to escape later.