MUMBAI: A chilling CCTV video has surfaced capturing the exact moment a BEST bus lost control while taking a tight U-turn outside Bhandup (West) railway station and ploughed into pedestrians on the footpath, killing four people and injuring 10 others late Monday night. The accident occurred around 10.05 pm when the bus, operating on route number 606, first rammed into a roadside pole and then mounted the footpath, mowing down people standing outside the station premises, police said. The incident comes nearly a year after the Kurla bus crash that claimed nine lives. The bus involved was a wet-lease electric AC vehicle attached to the Vikhroli depot. The driver, identified as Santosh Ramesh Sawant (52), was hired on a contractual basis. He has been detained by Bhandup police, who are in the process of registering an FIR against him for causing death due to negligence and rash driving. Civic officials said the CCTV footage shows the bus taking a sharp turn before veering off course and crashing into pedestrians, triggering panic at the crowded station area. At Rajawadi Hospital, BMC officials confirmed that a 31-year-old woman was brought dead. Another victim, Prashant Lad (51), is in a critical condition and is undergoing treatment. Meanwhile, MT Agarwal Hospital reported that three victims were brought dead following the incident. Nine injured persons were admitted to the hospital with varying degrees of injuries. Civic and hospital authorities confirmed that the death toll stands at four, while 10 people were injured in the crash. An investigation is underway to ascertain whether speeding or driver error led to the accident.
