Mumbai: Seven killed, 49 injured as BEST bus crashes into pedestrians, vehicles

At least seven persons were killed and 49 others were injured after a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport bus driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed it into pedestrians and cars in a crowded marketplace near Mumbai’s Kurla railway station on Monday night, The Indian Express reported.

At around 10.30 pm, the electric BEST bus plying between Kurla and Andheri railway stations, collided with 30 to 40 vehicles over a 100 metre stretch before it crashed into a wall, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation was quoted as saying by Mid-Day.

“I ran to the spot and saw a BEST bus had hit pedestrians, other vehicles, including an autorickshaw and three cars,” an eyewitness told PTI. “I saw some dead bodies in front of my eyes. We rescued the passengers in the autorickshaw and took them to Bhabha Hospital in another three-wheeler.”

The police arrested the driver and booked him on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, according to PTI. His blood samples were also collected to examine whether he was under the influence of alcohol.

The driver of the bus had joined work on December 1, The Indian Express quoted the police as saying. He told the police that he panicked and could not control the vehicle.

While he had experience of driving heavy vehicles, he had begun operating electric buses only...

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