Mumbai BEST driver rams A/C bus into 25 vehicles, toll climbs to 5
Mumbai: The death toll in Monday’s ghastly accident — in which an allegedly drunk BEST bus driver mowed down at least 25 vehicles — climbed to five and another 36 persons injured, the BMC Disaster Control said here on Tuesday.
The tragedy occurred in the crowded Kurla West market around 9.30 p.m. when the BEST air-conditioned electric bus Route No. A-332 came at a dizzying speed and rammed into moving and stationary vehicles, including a police jeep.
The shocking mayhem near the busy Lal Bahadur Shastri Road resulted in at least five people getting killed and some 36 injured, many critically, as the bus ground to a halt after some 500 metres.
As per preliminary reports, the bus driver, identified as Sanjay More, was allegedly in an inebriated state and lost control of the vehicle, which hurtled into the vehicles and pedestrians, while eyewitnesses claimed he was seen laughing and enjoying his death drive.
CCTV footage of the tragedy that emerged this morning showed people screaming, running helter-skelter to save themselves on the narrow and congested road.
Police and BMC Officials said that the wet-leased bus of Kurla Bus Depot was proceeding to Sakinaka, and the deadly drive occurred near the Anjuman-e-Islam School on S. G. Barve Marg in Kurla (West).
The locals and other authorities rushed the injured to Bhabha Hospital and private clinics in the vicinity.
Some of the deceased have been identified as Kaniz Fatema Ansari, 55, Afreen A. Shaikh, 19, Anam Shaikh, 18, and Shivam Kashyap, 18.
The vehicles damaged included autorickshaws, scooters, motorcycles, some cars, a police jeep, etc.
Though the exact causes of the crash are being probed, it is suspected that the accident happened due to a brake failure. Additionally, the bus driver has been booked on multiple charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Three killed, 17 injured as bus hits multiple vehicles in Mumbai’s Kurla
Mumbai: Three people died and 17 others were injured after a bus rammed into multiple vehicles in Mumbai’s Kurla area on Monday night.
Police said that the accident occurred at 9.50 p.m. in front of Anjuman-e-Islam School on SG Barve Marg in Kurla (West).
According to a police official, the driver of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus lost control of the vehicle following which it collided with several vehicles.
It is suspected that the accident happened due to a brake failure.
The official said that the bus was going from Kurla railway station to Andheri when the accident occurred.
The staff nurse of the nearby Bhabha Hospital said that 20 people were brought there, of which three were declared dead. The treatment of others injured in the accident is undergoing.
As per reports, as many as 10 people are seriously injured.
After the incident, a crowd of people gathered at the spot. Some injured have also been taken to the hospital in autos. Following the accident, traffic was disrupted near the accident site.
Top police officials have reached the spot.
However, till the time of filing this report, the exact number of casualties was not ascertained.
Also, it could not be immediately learnt whether anyone was taken to other medical facilities apart from Bhabha Hospital.