But for Gujarat’s Salim Sheikh, there would have been a lot more than seven victims in Monday’s terror attack on a bus of Amarnath pilgrims+ in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sometime after 8:30 pm on Monday, as soon as he heard a hail of bullets on the side of the bus, the driver Salim sensibly decided on the spur of the moment that the safest and the most prudent thing to do is to drive on and not let any more bullets in.

“God gave me strength to keep moving, and I just did not stop,” said Salim to ANI on Tuesday.

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani on Monday acknowledged Salim’s role and said he would nominate him for a bravery award.

“He told me that he did not stop there when terrorists fired, only looked for a safer spot for pilgrims,” said Salim’s cousin Javed Mirza, a resident of Valsad in Gujarat, to ANI.

Javed said he was proud of his cousin.

Salim informed his cousin about the attack in a phone call around 9:30 pm on Monday.

Seven Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 14 others injured when terrorists opened fire on the bus near Batengoo in J&K’s Anantnag district on Monday.

“Want to thank bus driver, Salim for saving lives of people when there was firing going. Will nominate his name for bravery award,” said Gujarat CM Rupani.