At least six people died, and 49 others were injured after a bus rammed pedestrians and vehicles in Mumbai’s Kurla area on Monday night. The police have arrested the bus driver.
The incident occurred at around 9:45 pm when the driver of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) bus (Route 332) lost control, ran over several vehicles and pedestrians, and crashed into the wall of a housing society. According to the police, the bus was travelling from Kurla Station to Andheri when the incident happened. People in its path were struck, and chaos ensued at the scene. The bus eventually came to a stop after hitting the wall.
The dead have been identified as Kannis Fatima Ansari, Shivam Kashyap, Afreen Abdul Salim Shah, and Anam Shaikh. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a forensic team arrived at the site where the accident happened. “In Kurla, the BEST bus lost control and crushed a few vehicles. Injured people are being treated at hospitals… the driver of the bus has been taken into custody… an inquiry is underway…” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 5) Ganesh Gawde told reporters, news agency ANI reported.
After the crash, local residents rushed the injured to nearby Bhabha Hospital.
Emergency services, including police and fire brigade teams, arrived shortly after.
Over 45 people were injured, with some still receiving treatment at the hospital and other medical centres. CCTV footage from the scene shows the bus speeding and people scrambling to escape the danger. Sanjay More, a bus driver with BEST, has been arrested by the police. He faces charges of involuntary manslaughter under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Kurla police station.
The driver underwent a medical examination to determine if alcohol was present in his blood. He is expected to be presented in court after 2 pm today. BEST’s technical team will inspect the bus for any mechanical faults. More was appointed as a driver on December 1, according to sources.