Ajaz Khan Pathan, a newspaper vendor who runs a distribution agency in Juhapura area, had tried to save Nadeem Saiyed's life on Saturday. Saiyed, who was a regular at Pathan's stall, would come every morning to buy a paper.
Sitting at the tea stall, next to Pathan's agency, he would then sip tea and go through the paper, tracking the day's major developments.
On Saturday, Pathan rued the fact that he was not around to save Saiyed and was deeply hurt with his friend's death.
When Pathan opened his shop on Saturday morning, some workers at his agency told him that a dispute had broken out at Juhapura crossroads in which a person was severely injured.
Pathan, at first, took it lightly and didn't react. But when he came to know that Saiyed was attacked and seriously injured, he rushed to the spot only to see his friend lying in a pool of blood.
According to Pathan, Saiyed was lying on the ground shivering; his body bore multiple wounds, and his eyes were rolling.
Pathan instantly called up '108' Emergency services and then informed the police control room.
Afraid that Saiyed wouldn't survive, Pathan persuaded the auto-rickshaw drivers at the spot to take Saiyed to hospital. The auto-rickshaw drivers' reluctance forced Pathan to push one driver out of his auto. While taking Saiyed to hospital, he saw the '108' emergency ambulance services approaching from the opposite direction near Vishala circle. He immediately got down from the auto and moved the injured Saiyed into the ambulance. When the paramedical team in the ambulance examined the victim, he was panting for breath and had lost a lot of blood owing to the multiple injuries he had suffered from the attack.
The paramedics put Saiyed on a ventilator and took him to VS Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.
Pathan told DNA that he tried to save RTI activist Saiyed's life because he knew he was humble and a good human being.
According to him, it was his responsibility to save Saiyed. He said that the culprits committed the crime in front of around 200 people.
Pathan added that the RTI activist was also attacked in 2008.