PUNE: Wednesday began as a normal day for college student

(21), but by mid-morning he had become a hero.

Some quick thinking, prompt action and presence of mind helped him overpower

Santosh Maruti Mane and stop him from running over more people and causing further damage as he careened through parts of the city on Wednesday.

Kutty, who lives in Vishrantwadi with his parentsand sister, is a final-year student of computer application. He was going to college on his motorcycle when he saw the bus knock down a woman and her daughter travelling on a scooter, and then a car.

“I stopped to help the injured. But when the bus, instead of halting, continued to speed on Napier Road, I got on my motorcycle and went after it in the hope that I could make the driver stop. I was afraid, but determined to catch him,” he said.

“The bus driver hit two cars between Savarkar chowk and Samadhan bhel shop, but he slowed down on seeing barricades ahead. At this point, I halted my vehicle and jumped into the bus which was still moving. I pounced on the driver and dragged him out from the cabin,” he said.

Kutty, who was at the

station to record his statement, said, “The bus driver’s foot was on the accelerator, but I pulled him with all my strength. I was shocked when he showed no signs of remorse. Soon a mob entered the bus and began beating him till he was rescued by a police team.”

Psychiatrist says he treated driver:

Solapur-based psychiatrist Dilip Burte on Wednesday said he had briefly treated MSRTC driver Santosh Mane for “psychosis” around one-and-a-half to two years back. Speaking to TOI from Solapur, Burte said, “ My preliminary observations were that he was showing symptoms of schizophrenia and mania.”