Mumbai, Jun 27: A private van driver sacrificed his life while trying to save four schoolchildren from being swept away in an overflowing nullah. The incident took place in a village in Vasai on Monday afternoon.

The driver, Prakash Patil, was driving four school kids home towards Vasai from their school. The roads were waterlogged due to heavy rains and there was poor visibility as well.

Due to this, Patil could not differentiate between the road and the nullah and drove right towards its mouth. He, however, appears to have sensed danger and promptly stopped the vehicle and asked kids to step out.

“He carried the children to a safety point. Two of the children slipped into the water but he pulled them out and deposited them on the road. However, since he was on the edge of the nullah, he slipped and was drawn in by the current,” a police official was quoted as saying.

Patil’s body was fished out within a span of 20 minutes, 1.5km from the spot, a report said. Jayant Bajbale, deputy superintendent of Virar division, said that police would recommend a just compensation for Patil’s family after probe.

Patil, a resident of Parol village in Vasai, is being hailed as a braveheart hero in his village.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 27, 2018 11:07 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).