Mumbai BEST Bus Driver Crashes A/C Bus into 25 Vehicles; Casualties Rise to 5
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Mumbai, Dec 10 (NationPress) The toll from Monday's horrific incident -- where an allegedly intoxicated BEST bus driver collided with at least 25 vehicles -- has tragically risen to five fatalities, with another 36 individuals injured, according to reports from BMC Disaster Control.
This devastating event took place in the bustling Kurla West market around 9:30 p.m., when the BEST air-conditioned electric bus on Route No. A-332 raced through the area and crashed into both moving and stationary vehicles, including a police jeep.
The catastrophic collision near the busy Lal Bahadur Shastri Road led to at least five deaths and around 36 injuries, many of which are critical, as the bus finally came to a stop after traveling approximately 500 meters.
According to initial reports, the driver, identified as Sanjay More, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and lost control of the vehicle, which careened into other vehicles and pedestrians. Eyewitness accounts suggested he was seen laughing and seemingly enjoying the reckless drive.
CCTV footage released this morning depicted chaos, with people screaming and fleeing in all directions to escape the mayhem on the narrow, congested street.
Authorities from the police and BMC noted that the wet-leased bus from the Kurla Bus Depot was en route to Sakinaka when the deadly incident occurred near the Anjuman-e-Islam School on S. G. Barve Marg in Kurla (West).
Local residents and officials hurried the injured to Bhabha Hospital and nearby private clinics for treatment.
Among the deceased have been identified as Kaniz Fatema Ansari, 55, Afreen A. Shaikh, 19, Anam Shaikh, 18, and Shivam Kashyap, 18.
The damaged vehicles included autorickshaws, scooters, motorcycles, several cars, and a police jeep.
While the precise reasons for the accident are still under investigation, it is suspected that a brake failure may have contributed to the crash. The bus driver has been charged with multiple offenses, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
