A tragic accident involving a public transport bus in Mumbai has resulted in the death of four individuals and left fourteen others injured. The incident occurred late on Monday night when a BEST bus driver lost control of the vehicle while attempting a tight U-turn outside Bhandup West railway station, ultimately mounting the footpath and hitting pedestrians.
Details of the Bhandup Bus Accident
The fatal crash took place around 10:05 PM on Monday near the station premises. The bus, operating on route number 606 and attached to the Vikhroli depot, was a wet-lease electric AC vehicle. According to police reports, the driver, identified as 52-year-old Santosh Ramesh Sawant, was taking a U-turn when he lost control. The bus first collided with a roadside pole before veering onto the footpath, where it mowed down several people standing there.
This devastating event comes roughly a year after the Kurla bus crash, which claimed nine lives, raising renewed concerns about road safety and driver training for public transport in the city.
Victims and Immediate Aftermath
Of the four deceased, three were women. The victims have been identified as:
- Mansi Gurav (45), a nurse at Sion Hospital.
- Pranita Rasam (31), a small-time actress.
- Varsha Sawant (25).
- Prashant Shinde, who worked with the traffic department.
Mansi Gurav's husband revealed that she would take the bus home daily after getting off the train. Tragically, Pranita Rasam's nine-year-old daughter, who was with her at the time, also sustained injuries in the accident. Her husband, Sandeep, stated that he last knew she was in Dadar for a shoot.
The bus conductor, Bhagwan Ghare (47), was also present during the incident. Following the crash, the Bhandup police swiftly detained driver Santosh Sawant and are in the process of registering an FIR against him for causing death due to negligence and rash driving.
Investigation and Official Response
The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has suspended the contractual driver and ordered an internal inquiry into the incident. A BEST official stated, "We will inquire if the bus driver had proper training." This statement highlights a critical line of investigation, given that the driver was hired on a contractual basis for the wet-lease bus.
Police authorities have secured CCTV footage of the incident from the area to aid their investigation. An officer involved noted that it is still early to determine the exact cause, saying, "...We cannot say whether it was due to human error or a technical malfunction yet."
The accident has once again cast a spotlight on the safety protocols and training standards for drivers operating public transport vehicles in Mumbai, especially those employed through contractual arrangements.
