At least seven people died, and 49 others were injured after a BEST bus in Mumbai ran into pedestrians and vehicles on Monday night, officials confirmed. The incident occurred near the BMC L Ward in Kurla, officials said. Police suspect a brake failure caused the crash. The 50-year-old bus driver named Sanjay More has been detained.


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The incident unfolded at 9.30 p.m. when a BEST bus going from Kurla railway station to Andheri veered off course, crashing through pedestrians and vehicles before barreling into a residential society, Buddha Colony, where it finally came to a stop, officials said. The allegedly drunk driver had lost control of the wheels near route number 332. The bus mowed down at least 25 vehicles, including a police jeep.


"It dashed into various vehicles over a 100-metre stretch and the RCC column of Solomon building. The windows of the bus broke on impact. Locals roughed up the driver," an official said. 


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Maharashtra CM Announces Ex Gratia To Deceased's Kin


Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the incident. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.


In a message on X, Fadnavis announced Rs 5 lakh financial aid for each victim's family from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. He added that medical expenses for the injured would be covered by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and BEST undertaking.


"We stand with the families of those who lost their lives in this unfortunate incident. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Fadnavis said.


Eyewitnesses Recount Horror


Zaid Ahmed, a 26-year-old local resident, described the chaos after hearing a loud noise as he was leaving for the railway station. "I ran to the spot and saw a BEST bus had hit pedestrians, other vehicles, including an autorickshaw and three cars. 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. My friends also helped in providing relief to the injured," he told PTI. 


"Many people were lying in a pool of blood. A crowd assembled at the spot and started moving the injured to hospital," added Zeeshan Ansari, another eyewitness. 


Ansari said he was near Royal Sweets shop with friends when he saw the bus being driven recklessly. "The bus suddenly dashed into multiple vehicles as well as pedestrians and entered Buddha Colony. We rushed and brought out the bus driver," he said. 


Several eyewitnesses cited by IANS claimed the driver was ‘laughing and enjoying his death drive.’ 


‘Driver Panicked, Pressed Accelerator Instead of Break’ 


Shiv Sena MLA Dilip Lande stated that the driver of the BEST bus involved in Monday night’s fatal accident at SG Barve Marg in Kurla West, Mumbai, panicked during the incident. Lande claimed the driver mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. The crash resulted in four deaths and around 25 injuries. 


‘A bus which left from Kurla Station, its brake got failed and the driver lost the control of the bus. Driver got scared and instead of pressing the brake, he pressed the accelerator and the speed of the bus increased. He couldn't control the bus and rammed into 30-35 people. 3 people died, 4 people are in serious condition.” Dilip Lande told reporters. 



The deceased have been identified as Kaniz Fatema Ansari, 55, Afreen A. Shaikh, 19, Anam Shaikh, 18, and Shivam Kashyap, 18.