An 80-year-old man suffering from paralysis was rescued after being found tied to a car seat and left locked inside a vehicle in extreme heat.
Authorities believe the family left him behind while they visited the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, India, on Thursday.
The man, identified as Hariom Tandale, had travelled from Mumbai to Agra in Uttar Pradesh with his relatives.
Temperatures reached 30°C on the day of the incident, with humidity climbing above 90 per cent.
According to police, Mr Tandale was left inside the car with the windows shut and no air circulation while it was parked in direct sunlight.
No one was left behind to attend to him. Passers-by noticed the elderly man gasping for air and visibly distressed.
He was found tied to the seat with a cloth, the seat reclined, and his body drenched in sweat.
Witnesses said he was clearly in need of urgent help and looked parched.
Keen to help, locals smashed a window to get into the vehicle and free him.
Due to his limited mobility, they had to physically lift him out of the car.
Onlookers offered him water and helped loosen the cloth restraints before calling emergency services.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sonam Kumar told news agency PTI: ‘Siddheshwar Tandale, a resident of Mumbai, had come to visit the Taj Mahal with his family.
‘His elderly father, Hariom Tandale, was taken out of the car after breaking the window.’
Kumar added that an ambulance was dispatched, but Mr Tandale’s condition improved shortly after he was removed from the vehicle.
‘Currently, Siddheshwar Tandale has left with his elderly father,’ the officer said.
No formal complaint has been filed in the matter.
