Vizianagaram–Malkangiri Bus Driver Saves Passengers Before Succumbing to Heart Attack
Despite the sudden distress, the driver steered the vehicle to safety and handed over the wheel to his co-driver — an act that likely prevented a devastating accident on the dark, hilly stretch of the route
Bhubaneswar: In a heartbreaking display of duty and courage, an Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) driver saved the lives of 25 passengers before succumbing to a massive heart attack in the early hours of Thursday. The driver, identified as P Saikrishna, used the last moments of his life to ensure that those in his care remained safe.
The bus, travelling from Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh to Malkangiri in Odisha, had crossed Kunduli around 2.30 am when Saikrishna began experiencing excruciating chest pain. Despite the sudden distress, he calmly steered the vehicle to safety and handed over the wheel to his co-driver — an act that likely prevented a devastating accident on the dark, hilly stretch of the route.
Co-driver Purna Chandra Ray, who had been resting, recalled the moment with emotion. “After crossing Kunduli, he parked the bus near Ashram and told me he wasn’t feeling well. Near Dumuriput, he said his chest was hurting badly and he was struggling to breathe,” Ray said. With the ambulance delayed, Ray immediately drove the bus toward Koraput, hoping to save his colleague.
Even in severe pain, Saikrishna insisted on not alarming the passengers. He reportedly walked into Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College & Hospital, Koraput, on his own after arriving in an autorickshaw. Moments later, doctors declared him dead.
Saikrishna had a history of heart complications following Covid-19 and had undergone bypass surgery. Though under regular medication, he was considered fit for duty and showed no signs of discomfort when the journey began, colleagues said.
The incident has left OSRTC employees shaken. Officials said they had no prior knowledge of his medical history. “He seemed absolutely fine when he reported for duty. Early today, we received word that he was unwell, and soon after, we were informed of his passing,” said an official from the corporation’s Malkangiri unit.
Saikrishna’s final act — choosing to protect the lives of passengers even as his own life was slipping away — has moved many across the state. His colleagues remember him as a calm, dedicated driver who served with quiet dignity. Today, he is being mourned as a hero who upheld his duty to the very end.