When autorickshaw driver Riaz Mohammed set out from Parry’s to T. Nagar, he thought he had a plum savaari (ride). He had no clue it would be interrupted by a toppled MTC bus on the way.
“It was around 1.30 p.m. As we neared Gemini flyover, we heard a thud and I knew something had gone wrong. I parked my vehicle and rushed to the spot,” said the 24-year-old, describing the shocking first images of a fallen bus and passengers in pain, crying for help.
Riaz spent the next couple of hours at the spot, helping passengers and the police in the recue effort, and returned to his home in Mannadi only in the evening.
“It was frightening. I called the 108 ambulance service thrice, but it took 30 minutes for the first ambulance to arrive. Thankfully, an ambulance from Apollo Hospitals came sooner,” said Riaz.
One could easily mistake the young man for a college student. “I studied only till class VIII, and have been riding an autorickshaw for the past three years,” he said.
According to him, it was traffic police personnel who rushed to the spot first, followed by other policemen. Along with a few people who had gathered at the spot, shopkeepers from nearby outlets and policemen, Riaz helped several passengers, including the bus driver, out of the fallen vehicle.
On what happened to his passengers, “I asked them to find another vehicle. They even offered to pay me the amount we had agreed upon. But I refused to take the money. There was an emergency here and I had to do my best.”
Keywords: Anna flyover accident, Chennai accident, MTC bus, humanitarian gesture
Most of us in Chennai city thinking that the city people are doing their work even the incidents like above are happening. But still people like Riaz are there to extend their support whatever they do during such incidents. We have to congratulate Riaz for his efforts and his responsibilities as a Auto driver by saying his passengers politely to find another vehilce. May God bless him and his family members too.
Thank you very much Meera Srinivasan to highlight this news story. Let other journalists too follow the same attitude and portray similar news in the right perspective.
Many congrats to you Riaz. May God bless you for the having such a soft
mind to help the people in agony. My Salutes to you.
Keep it up Riaz Mohammed.....
Country should be proud of people like yourself !!
The auto driver turned into the good samaritan to take rescue measures. His attitude of service before self was exemplary and
deserves to be honoured both by the MTC and the CM.
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