Bhopal: A 51-year-old govt driver allegedly suffered a heart attack while behind the wheel near the Academy of Administration under Chunabhatti Police Station limits on Monday afternoon.
According to police, as the man, identified as Naeem Khan, 51, began experiencing chest discomfort around 2:30 pm, he steered the vehicle towards the footpath to avoid colliding with commuters on the busy stretch. He slowed down the car, which then veered off, hit an electric pole and came to a halt along the roadside.
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A witness, Pankaj Saxena, told TOI that although the driver saved many lives. His prompt action in steering the vehicle onto the footpath likely prevented a major accident on the heavily trafficked road.
The entire incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed outside a nursery located opposite the road. Nursery owner Pankaj Saxena, 58, told TOI that he noticed the car striking the pole on the live feed and immediately rushed outside.When repeated knocks elicited no response, Saxena broke the window glass with a stone to gain access. He called for an ambulance. A crowd gathered at the spot as the unconscious driver was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Police identified the deceased as Naeem Khan, a resident of the Jehangirabad area, who was posted as a driver in a govt department. The body was sent for post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death. Prima facie, police suspect that he suffered a cardiac arrest while driving.