AP: Private bus driver dies of stroke at the wheel, saves 45 pilgrims

A bus driver, despite suffering heart attack at the wheel, saved the lives of over 45 passengers by safely landing the bus in the bushes. His timely alertness averted a major accident. However, he collapsed in his driving seat and died.

Venkatapuram (Andhra Pradesh):A private bus driver saved the lives of 45 pilgrims travelling in the vehicle by halting it safely in the roadside bushes after he suffered a massive heart attack that led to his death while on duty and at the wheel. Thanks to the driver's sacrifice, all the pilgrims travelling in the bus had a providential escape and none of the passengers was injured in this accident. This incident took place in Venkatapuram Mandal of Mulugu district on Friday.

The private bus was carrying 45 pilgrims who stopped to visit Sitaramachandraswamy temple at Bhadrachalam on their way back to Andhra Pradesh from a pilgrimage to Tamil Nadu. The driver succumbed to cardiac arrest. The deceased driver has been identified as J. Devairakkam from Ponnai village of Vellore district in Tamil Nadu.

According to the passengers, the driver stopped the bus for a while complaining of heart ache. After sometime, he started again. He suffered a heart attack, but he managed to save the lives of 45 people as he safely drove the bus into the bushes. His timely action prevented a major accident. All the pilgrims were from Uttara Brahmanapalli Mandal of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh.