Seven dead, 49 injured as BEST bus hits pedestrians and vehicles in Mumbai after brake failure

The accident took place around 9:45 pm near the Kurla-West market along the SG Barve Road, when the bus was going from Kurla railway station to Saki Naka area of Andheri East.

Mumbai: In a shocking incident, a civic bus of Mumbai rammed 20-25 vehicles killing seven persons and injuring 36 others in the Kurla area of Mumbai on Monday night. 

The driver, Sanjay More, has been arrested and was remanded to police custody till 21 December by a Magistrate’s court in Mumbai.

The bus belonging to the BrihanMumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) was under wet lease and the driver was a contractual employee. 

The accident took place around 9.45 pm on Monday near the Kurla-West market along the SG Barve Road, when the bus was going from Kurla railway station to Saki Naka  area of Andheri East. 

According to the Mumbai police and BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), seven  persons were killed in the accident. 

The EV was badly damaged in the incident. 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh to the next of kin of the deceased while the BMC and BEST would take care of the medical expenses of those injured in the accident. 

“It is a sad incident,” said BEST General Manager Anil Diggikar. “Whether there are any technical issues in the bus are being checked,” he said.

“We are investigating it in detail…proper legal procedure is being followed…medical examination would be done…the bus would be checked,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Satyanarayan Chaudhary. 

Blood samples of the driver have been taken to check whether he was under the influence of alcohol.

Teams of the Regional Transport Office and Forensic Science Laboratory too visited the spot to examine the evidence and collect samples. 

“The administration has removed the bus and its RTO inspection will be conducted. Police have apprehended the driver and investigation is going on," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Ganesh Gawade.

“The driver lost control and accelerated the bus leading to the accident,” according to the initial report of the BEST, the civic transporter. 

The injured have been rushed to the Bhabha Hospital in Kurla.

Shiv Sena MLA Dilip Lande said: “After the bus which left from Kurla station, its brake failed and the driver lost control of the bus. Driver got scared and instead of pressing the brake, he pressed the accelerator and the speed of the bus increased. He couldn't control the bus and rammed other vehicles and people on the road.” 

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray demanded a thorough probe into the incident. “An inquiry should be conducted in this case and appropriate action should be taken against the culprits,” he said.

The vehicles damaged included autorickshaw, scooters and motorcycles, some cars, a police jeep.

The BEST has also formed a probe panel which would be headed by Chief Manager (Transport) Ramesh Madavi.

Meanwhile, a BJP delegation  blamed the decision to hire buses on a wet lease model -- where a private contractor provides buses, drivers and also looks after maintenance -- between 2018 and 2021 for the accident, and called for its review.