Mumbai witnessed a horrifying road accident when a BEST bus rammed into 22 vehicles in Kurla West, killing seven people and injuring 49 others on Monday night. The accident occurred near the Anjuman-E-Islam School at around 9:30 PM when the bus was heading from Kurla station to Andheri.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone V) Ganesh Gawade stated, “We have prepared a list of vehicles involved in the accident, and so far, we have 22 vehicles on record. We are trying to ascertain whether the driver, Sanjay More, ran over more vehicles.”
The driver, Sanjay More, was reportedly employed by BEST on December 1. He transitioned from driving manual minibuses to automatic buses only after joining the transport service.
According to a police officer, “More claims there is no fault in the bus and that he lost control as he could not manage the speed after accelerating. It appears he panicked and pressed the accelerator instead of the brake.” The incident started with the bus ramming into an autorickshaw, followed by a police vehicle, two-wheelers, and handcarts. The bus finally came to a halt after crashing into a wall.
Forensic teams and the regional transport office visited the site to investigate. The police are also examining whether More received adequate training before driving passengers in an automatic bus.
“We have registered a case and arrested him. We are waiting for the departments concerned to inquire and submit a report,” said Gawade.
To rule out the possibility of drunk driving, the police have sent Sanjay More for a medical examination.
The incident has raised serious concerns about driver training, vehicle maintenance, and road safety in the bustling city. As authorities await the forensic and transport office reports, the tragic accident has left the city grappling with grief and questions about accountability.
(WITH INPUTS FROM AGENCY)
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