A driver’s last-minute manoeuvre as he suffered a cardiac arrest saved 48 passengers on an overnight bus to Bhubaneswar. He was later declared dead by doctors on being rushed to a nearby hospital. The man’s presence of mind prevented a major road accident as he deliberately crashed the vehicle into a wall, bringing it to a halt, police said.
The incident took place near Paburia village in Odisha’s Kandhamal district late on October 27. Police identified the bus driver as Sana Pradhan, who experienced chest pain while driving and lost control of the steering. “He realised that he will not be able to drive further. So, he crashed the vehicle against a roadside wall following which it came to a stop, and the lives of the passengers could be saved,” said Kalyanamayee Sendha, inspector incharge of Tikabali police station.
Sendha said the private bus, ‘Maa Laxmi’, usually plies from Sarangarh in Kandhamal to the state capital Bhubaneswar via G Udayagiri every night. Police said the bus left with the passengers for its destination a while later with another driver at the wheel.
Pradhan’s body was handed over to his family after a post-mortem examination. An investigation has also been started, Sendha added.