Mon Dec 09 18:28:50 UTC 2024: ## Mumbai Bus Crash Kills Seven, Injures Dozens
**Mumbai, December 10, 2024** – A speeding BEST (Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport) bus caused a devastating accident in Kurla, Mumbai on Monday night, resulting in seven deaths and at least 49 injuries. The electric bus, just three months old, collided with 20-25 vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, motorcycles, and vans, at around 9:30 pm on S.G. Barve Marg.
The bus, operated by a private contractor under a wet lease agreement, was traveling from Kurla railway station to Saki Naka when the incident occurred. The driver, Sanjay More, has been arrested and claims the brakes failed, causing him to lose control. However, police are investigating the possibility of both mechanical failure and driver negligence. Eyewitnesses report that the driver may have mistakenly accelerated instead of braking.
The victims, including four who were identified as Kannis Fatima Ansari (55), Afreen Abdul Salim Shah (19), Anam Shaikh (20), and Shivam Kashyap (18), were rushed to several hospitals in the area. The death toll rose from four to seven by Tuesday morning.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed condolences and announced an ex gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the families of the deceased, with the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and BEST covering the medical expenses of the injured. The incident has prompted an investigation into the bus’s maintenance and operational procedures. The bus, a 12-meter Olectra Greentech model, was registered only in August 2024. Shiv Sena MLA Dilip Lande commented on the alleged brake failure and the driver’s panicked response. The accident site saw a large gathering of people in its aftermath.
First Piper 