Nilambur: When danger appeared without warning, N M Naseeb had no time to think, only to act. His instinctive response and daring manoeuvre helped save a life and turned a potential tragedy into a story of courage.

Naseeb, a conductor-cum-driver attached to the KSRTC Nilambur depot, was driving a KSRTC Swift bus from Bengaluru to Nilambur when the incident occurred around 12.20 am on June 27 between Ramanagara and Channapatna on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway. The bus had begun its journey from Bengaluru at 11 pm and Naseeb took over driving duties after it covered around 40 km. As the bus cruised along the expressway, a tourist bus travelling from Bengaluru to Nilambur was moving alongside in the adjacent lane.

The situation suddenly turned dangerous when a truck travelling ahead struck a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) employee who had stopped his vehicle on the highway to check a mechanical issue. The impact flung the employee onto the path of the approaching Swift bus.

With barely any time to react, Naseeb applied the brakes but realised the bus would not stop in time. In a split-second decision, he swerved the bus and rammed it into the road divider to avoid a direct hit.

The Karnataka RTC employee, who sustained minor injuries in the truck collision, was rushed to a hospital. The Swift bus too suffered damage, including a shattered front windshield. All passengers escaped without injuries and were later shifted to another bus to continue their journey. The damaged vehicle is currently stationed at the Ramanagara police station.

Naseeb, a native of Kavanur in Areekode, became the centre of attention after CCTV visuals of the incident captured by the tourist bus went viral. Karnataka RTC officials contacted him after he returned home and appreciated his brave act, while local residents and KSRTC authorities also lauded his presence of mind. Naseeb left for Ramanagara on Sunday to bring back the damaged bus.