Mumbai: 4 Die, 9 Injured After BEST Bus Runs Into Pedestrians in Bhandup

Four people were killed and nine others injured after a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport bus struck pedestrians while reversing in Mumbai's Bhandup area on Tuesday night.

The injured were rushed to hospital as emergency teams moved in, while police began probing how the bus went out of control in a crowded neighbourhood.

What happened in Bhandup

According to the Mumbai Police, the BEST bus lost control while reversing and hit pedestrians in the Bhandup locality. The exact cause of the loss of control is yet to be determined. Soon after the crash, a large police presence was deployed to secure the site and regulate traffic as senior officials reached the spot to oversee the response.

Emergency response and rescue

Senior police inspector Balasaheb Pawar said police teams arrived quickly and shifted the injured to hospital. "The police team soon reached the spot and rushed the injured to the hospital," he said. Fire brigade personnel, BEST staff and ambulances were also activated to assist with rescue and medical care.

Driver taken into custody, bus details

Police confirmed that the 52-year-old driver, Santosh Ramesh Sawant, has been taken into custody, officials from the deputy commissionerate of police told Media. The wet-lease Olectra bus was operating on route A-606 and attached to the Vikhroli depot. BEST, which runs the country's largest public bus fleet, has been deploying Olectra-made midi buses on certain routes from Bhandup West station due to a shortage of buses, despite constraints such as inadequate turning radius, officials told PTI. A BEST official also confirmed that conductor Bhagwan Bhau Ghare was on board at the time of the accident.

Probe underway, compensation announced

Authorities have launched an investigation to reconstruct the sequence of events and examine whether mechanical failure or other factors played a role. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each for the families of those who lost their lives in the accident.