Mumbai: Fresh details have emerged in the investigation into the fatal BEST electric bus accident near Bhandup West railway station, with the driver claiming that the vehicle moved abruptly the moment he released the handbrake. The incident, which occurred on a crowded stretch of Bhandup Station Road, left four people dead and several others critically injured.
During police questioning, driver Santosh Ramesh Sawant, 52, stated that the electric AC bus was already in running condition when he entered the driver’s cabin. According to his statement, the bus unexpectedly surged forward as soon as the handbrake was disengaged, leaving him with little time to react. The mishap took place around 9.30 pm on Monday, a peak hour for commuters near the railway station.
Sawant, a permanent BEST employee since 2008, had recently begun operating electric buses and was assigned route number 606 for his night shift. Moments after taking control, the bus reportedly went out of control, ploughing into passengers standing at a bus stop and pedestrians walking along the road. The vehicle finally came to a halt after crashing into a roadside pole.
The impact proved fatal for four individuals — Pranita Sandip Rasam (35), Mansi Meghshyam Gurav (49), Varsha Sawant (25), and Prashant Dattu Shinde (45). At least eleven others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals, including Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, MT Agarwal Hospital in Mulund, and Fortis Hospital in Mulund. Several injured victims remain under medical supervision.
Following the incident, the Bhandup police arrested Sawant and registered a case against him. A local court has remanded him to police custody until January 3. Investigators, however, have alleged that the driver failed to exercise due caution despite being aware of the heavy footfall and commuter traffic in the area.
The First Information Report describes the bus as having been operated in a manner that endangered public safety, resulting in deaths and grievous injuries. The accident-involved bus has been secured at a depot for further examination. Police have initiated a detailed technical inspection of the electric vehicle with the help of specialists to rule out mechanical or system failure.
