A heartbreaking tale unfolded in Mumbai’s Kurla (West) on Monday night, as a 20-year-old woman, Afreen Shah, was crushed to death in a horrific BEST bus accident. Afreen, who had just completed her first day at a new job, was one of seven people killed when a speeding electric BEST bus lost control on SG Barve Road, mowing down pedestrians and vehicles.
Afreen, the only daughter among three siblings, had stepped out of her house that morning with dreams of a bright future. Her father, Abdul Salim Shah, recalled their last conversation when Afreen called him from Kurla Railway Station, struggling to find an auto-rickshaw to return home. Shah advised her to take a safer route via the highway, but she chose another path, unaware of the tragedy that lay ahead.
Later that evening, Shah received a devastating call from Kurla Bhabha Hospital, informing him they had found his daughter’s mobile phone. Rushing to the hospital, he was met with the unimaginable sight of his daughter’s lifeless body. Salim painfully revealed that he had been preparing for Afreen’s wedding, which was just months away.
Overwhelmed with grief, Shah held the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), illegal hawkers, traffic police, and local officials accountable for the incident. He pointed to the unregulated encroachments and congested roads in the area, accusing authorities of turning a blind eye to the bribes that allow these conditions to persist.
Afreen’s death has become a symbol of systemic neglect, highlighting the urgent need for action. While the police have arrested the bus driver, who lacked experience with electric vehicles, and a court has placed him in custody until December 21, Shah demands stricter measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The accident, which also injured 42 others, has prompted BEST to form a committee to investigate the incident. However, for Afreen’s family, no inquiry can undo the loss of a young life full of promise and dreams.
