Mumbai Tragedy: BEST Bus Reverse Mishap Near Bhandup Station Kills Four, Several Injured

Mumbai: Mumbai witnessed a heartbreaking accident late Monday night when a BEST bus reversing on the busy Bhandup Station Road mowed down pedestrians, leaving four people dead and several others injured. The incident took place around 10 pm, a peak hour when commuters were returning home from work and the area near the railway station was heavily crowded.

According to preliminary information shared by police and civic officials, the bus allegedly began moving backwards on the narrow station road, triggering panic among people standing along the roadside. Within seconds, multiple pedestrians were hit, creating chaos and confusion in the crowded stretch. Locals rushed to help the victims as emergency services were alerted.

Ambulances reached the spot quickly and the injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, including MT Agarwal Hospital, Sion Hospital, Rajawadi Hospital, and several private healthcare facilities in Mulund and Bhandup. Doctors later confirmed that four people had succumbed to their injuries, while nine others are undergoing treatment and are stated to be in stable condition.

The deceased have been identified as Pranita Sandip Rasam (35), Varsha Sawant (25), Mansi Meghshyam Gurav (49), and Prashant Shinde (53). Hospital authorities confirmed that some victims were declared dead on arrival, underscoring the severity of the impact.

Police officials said the BEST bus driver has been detained for questioning, and a case is being registered to determine responsibility for the accident. CCTV footage captured by a nearby shop has surfaced and is being closely examined to reconstruct the sequence of events and establish whether negligence or violation of safety norms was involved.

Reacting to the tragedy, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the incident deeply unfortunate. He announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹5 lakh each for the families of those who lost their lives. In a message shared on social media, the Chief Minister assured that the state government would extend immediate assistance to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.