India
oi-Prakash KL
A private bus driver and conductor have been praised for their quick thinking after rescuing a toddler who was found sitting in the middle of a busy road in Malappuram district on Wednesday morning.
The incident took place at around 8.30am on the Olavattur-Farook PWD Road near Kinarpadi in Pulikkal, close to Kondotty. The Safa Marwa private bus was travelling from Olavattur to Farook when driver Ramachandran spotted the child on the carriageway.
In Malappuram, Kerala, bus driver Ramachandran and conductor Navas Ali rescued a toddler found alone on a busy road on Wednesday morning, an act recognized by the Motor Vehicles Department and state ministers.
Despite light rain and poor visibility along the curved stretch of road, Ramachandran, a resident of Palapparambu in Valiyaparamba, noticed the toddler and immediately brought the bus to a halt. Conductor Navas Ali, from Alakkapparambu, quickly got off the vehicle, picked up the child and safely reunited her with her family.
According to relatives, the girl, the infant daughter of Ramees, had crawled out of her home unnoticed and wandered onto the road. The area is considered accident-prone, with several serious crashes reported in recent years.
Officials noted that a child from Thonikkal Para in Olavattur was killed just two months ago after a mini-lorry collided with a motorcycle on the same bend.
The Kerala Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) commended the bus crew for their prompt action. In a post on its official Facebook page, the department highlighted the importance of remaining vigilant behind the wheel.
“Expect the unexpected is a mindset every driver should maintain at all times. We congratulate Ramachandran and Navas for their timely intervention in stopping the bus and saving the infant’s life without causing any further accidents,” the MVD said.
On Thursday, Kerala Transport Minister C P John and Labour Minister Bindu Krishna also congratulated the pair for their actions. Both ministers spoke to Ramachandran over the phone, enquired about the incident and thanked him and Navas for their swift and compassionate response.
The ministers said the actions of the driver and conductor prevented what could have been a tragic accident and demonstrated the importance of alert and responsible driving.
