Mumbai: A year after nine people were killed in the Kurla bus crash, Mumbai witnessed a chillingly similar tragedy on Monday night, when a BEST bus lost
control near Bhandup West railway station, killing at least four people and injuring 14 others. Both incidents occurred in December, late at night, involved BEST buses, and unfolded during tight turns in crowded areas—raising fresh questions about road safety, driver training and operational oversight.
What Happened in Bhandup on Monday Night
The latest accident occurred around 10.05 pm, when a BEST bus operating on route number 606 lost control while attempting a tight U-turn outside Bhandup (West) station. According to police, the bus first hit a roadside pole and then mounted the footpath, mowing down pedestrians standing outside the station premises.
The bus was a wet-lease electric AC vehicle attached to the Vikhroli depot. The driver, Santosh Ramesh Sawant (52), was hired on a contractual basis and has been detained by Mumbai Police. Police are in the process of registering an FIR against him for rash and negligent driving causing death. Sawant has also been suspended, and Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has ordered an internal inquiry.
“We will inquire if the bus driver had proper training,” a BEST official said. The bus conductor was identified as Bhagwan Ghare (47).
Victims Identified, Families Devastated
Of the four people who died, three were women. The deceased were identified as:
- Mansi Gurav (45), a nurse at Sion hospital
- Pranita Rasam (31), a small-time actress
- Varsha Sawant (25)
- Prashant Shinde, an employee of the traffic department
Mansi’s husband said she would take the bus home every day after getting off the train. Pranita’s husband, Sandeep, said the last he heard from her was when she was in Dadar for a shoot. Their nine-year-old daughter, who was with her at the time of the crash, was injured and is undergoing treatment.
Kurla 2024: A Disturbingly Similar Crash
The Bhandup incident has revived memories of the Kurla bus crash in December 2024, which killed nine people. That crash too involved a BEST bus, occurred late in the evening, and unfolded when the vehicle lost control in a densely populated area, ploughing into pedestrians.
In both cases, buses were navigating tight turns, pedestrians were present on footpaths near transport hubs, and questions were raised about human error versus technical malfunction.
Also Read: What Caused The Deadly Kurla Bus Crash? Eyewitness Shares Horrific Account
“We cannot say whether it was due to human error or a technical malfunction yet. We have CCTV footage of the incident,” an officer said.
The bus involved will undergo technical inspection, while CCTV footage is being analysed to reconstruct the sequence of events.
(with inputs from news agencies)
