Haryana Roadways honours driver, conductor who rescued cricketer Rishabh Pant

Chandigarh: Haryana Roadways has honoured driver Sushil Kumar and conductor Paramjeet who helped cricketer Rishabh Pant get out of his luxury car after it crashed into a road divider and caught fire on the Delhi-Dehradun highway.

The state government is also likely to honour the two, according to sources.

"We gave them an appreciation letter and a shield when they returned to Panipat," Haryana Roadways Panipat depot general manager Kuldeep Jangra told PTI over phone.

He said Kumar saw a car slamming into the road divider after which he, along with his conductor, stopped the bus and ran over to help.

Jangra said both the driver and the conductor presented an example of humanity.

The bus, which was headed to Panipat, started from Haridwar at 4.25 am and reached the accident spot about an hour later, he said.

The driver and the conductor told us that minutes after they pulled Pant out of the car, it engulfed in flames, he added.

Sources said the state government is also likely to honour Sushil Kumar and Paramjeet in the coming days.

Haryana Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma said the two presented an example of humanity and provided immediate help to Pant.

Pant, India's star cricketer, had a miraculous escape when his luxury car crashed into the road divider and caught fire after he dozed off at the wheel on the Delhi-Dehradun highway in the early hours of Friday.

The 25-year-old, who was on his way to his hometown Roorkee to surprise his mother, suffered injuries on his head, back and feet but is stable following the accident in Manglaur in Uttarakhand's Haridwar district, police said.

The car was completely charred and reduced to a mangled heap.

Principal Secretary (Transport), Haryana, Navdeep Virk also lauded Kumar and Paramjeet.

"Exemplary conduct and presence of mind by Haryana Roadways Driver Sushil and Conductor Paramjeet from Panipat Depot, who were the first at @RishabhPant17 accident site and helped him," Virk said in a tweet.