A minibus driver in India has been commended for ferrying his passengers to safety after being shot at by highway robbers in the state of Maharashtra on March 10.

Mr Khomdev Kawade was driving his bus with 35 passengers along a national highway from the city of Amravati to Nagpur after a temple visit.

He noticed that a car “kept following us”, the NDTV news channel quoted him as saying. Thinking the vehicle wanted to overtake the bus, he twice made room for it to do so.

He said the robbers, in a sport utility vehicle with an Uttar Pradesh licence plate, overtook the bus and tried to stop it by firing four rounds at the bus. A bullet hit Mr Kawade’s hand.

A car chase ensued, according to The Times of India.

Despite bleeding profusely, Mr Kawade continued driving until he reached a police station about 30km away.

He and three other passengers who were injured in the incident were taken to hospital.

“The heroic driver ensured all pilgrims were safe,” The Times of India quoted a police officer as saying.

The police said a hunt is on for four people believed to have been in the car that shot at the bus. A separate investigation was launched in relation to a vehicle the group allegedly stole days earlier.