Vinod Kambli in hospital with chest pain

MUMBAI: A female traffic police officer jumped to the rescue of cricketer Vinod Kambli on Friday, when he suddenly developed chest pain while driving his Pajero on the Eastern Express Highway on Friday.

Inspector Sujata Patil and her subordinate rushed Kambli, 41, to the Lilavati Hospital in Bandra, clearing road blockages on the way. Doctors said Kambli had suffered from anxiety; he has had a cardiac procedure earlier.

Kambli was driving alone from Chembur to his Bandra residence. Around 9.25 am, while he was on the southbound carriageway in Sion, he developed chest pain. He stopped the car at a junction and motioned to a traffic constable for help. He also called up his wife, Andrea, and asked her to get an ambulance.

Constable KS Shendge called up his superior (Patil) who was on duty at the next junction and told her that Kambli's condition was serious. Patil rushed to the spot and was unnerved to find Kambli gasping.

"He was perspiring and was writhing in pain. He couldn't speak and I was afraid his health would worsen if I did not act soon," Patil said. Patil arranged for a driver for the Pajero and took Kambli to Lilavati Hospital before 10 am.

"Kambli had insisted that we take him to the Lilavati Hospital only as he had been treated there before. We also spoke to his wife later," Patil added.

While doctors ruled out heart attack, a statement by Andrea said Kambli was stable and recovering well. Family sources said Kambli has been anxious of late.

Kambli is in the intensive care unit (ICU) as a precautionary measure since he underwent an angioplasty procedure in the same hospital about a year ago.

Around 9.25am, Kambli was driving home in Bandra in his white SUV from a meeting in Chembur when he developed chest pain near Highway Apartments in Sion. He stopped near a traffic constable and said, "Please take me to hospital or I'll die." He also called up his wife, Andrea, and asked her to arrange for an ambulance.

Constable KS Shendge called up senior inspector Patil, on duty at the next junction, and told her Kambli's condition was serious. Patil rushed over and was unnerved to find Kambli gasping. "He was perspiring and writhing in pain. He couldn't speak and I was afraid his health would worsen if I did not act soon," said Patil. As they could not track down where the ambulance was, the two decided to take Kambli to the hospital themselves.

Patil immediately arranged for a driver and with Shendge's help, moved Kambli into the SUV's backseat. Patil and Shendge sat next to him and the constable kept massaging the ex-cricketer's chest for some relief. Kambli insisted he be taken to Lilavati as he had been treated there before. He also broke down in the car, worried if he would get treatment in time. Finally, he was wheeled into ICCU before 10am, said Patil.

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Shweta Pandey

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