Chennai, A Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus driver saved 30 lives on Thursday morning before dying of heart attack at Madurai.

Arumugam, 44 was driving a TNSTC bus from Arappalayam to Kodaikanal with 30 passengers on board. As the bus departed from Arappalayam at 6.20 a.m., the driver complained of intense chest pain to conductor Bhagiyaraj and somehow parked the vehicle on the roadside before collapsing.

The conductor immediately called an ambulance but by the time it arrived, Arumugam had died.

TNSTC Deputy Commercial manager, Madurai, Yuvaraj told IANS: "Arumugam had 12 years of experience as a driver with TNSTC and his exemplary action of parking the bus on roadside thus saving 30 lives will always be remembered. He has left behind two daughters."

The body was transferred to Government Rajaji Hospital for post-mortem and Karimedu police registered a case and an investigation has commenced.

Police said that Arumugam's family was informed before the body was shifted to GRH hospital.