BMTC bus driver dies of heart attack mid-route; conductor steps in to prevent mishap

Bengaluru: A 40-year-old BMTC bus driver died of a heart attack while driving the vehicle in the city on Wednesday, officials said.

The incident occurred at 11 am while the bus was en route from Nelamangala to Dasanapura.

A video of the incident shows that after the driver collapsed from the heart attack, the bus brushed past another Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus. The conductor quickly jumped into the driver’s seat and took control of the vehicle.

According to BMTC officials, Kiran Kumar was operating vehicle number KA 57 F-4007 on route 256 M/1, during its final trip from Nelamangala to Dasanapura.

While on duty, Kumar suffered a heart attack and collapsed. In a courageous act, the conductor, Obalesh, immediately brought the vehicle to a safe halt, ensuring the safety of all passengers and preventing any accident.

Subsequently, Obalesh rushed Kumar to the nearby hospital, where doctors, after examination, confirmed that the driver had succumbed to a heart attack.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely demise of Kiran Kumar, a driver from Depot 40, who passed away due to a sudden heart attack on November 6. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) expresses its deepest condolences to the family of Kiran Kumar.

“The corporation prays for the peace of his soul. Senior officials from BMTC visited the family, offering their sympathies and providing an ex-gratia payment to help with the final rites,” the BMTC said in a statement.