Mumbai police are intensifying their investigation into the BEST bus accident that occurred on Monday night in Kurla. So far, statements from 25 individuals have been recorded, including passengers, eyewitnesses, injured victims, BEST employees, and RTO officials. A senior police officer stated that more statements would be taken as the investigation progresses.
According to sources, the police are trying to determine what led to the driver losing control of the bus before the tragic incident.
The accident resulted in the death of seven people and left over 40 injured, two of whom are still in critical condition and undergoing treatment.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused driver, Sanjay More, was hired on a contractual basis to drive BEST buses starting December 1. The buses are operated by a private company contracted by BEST. Sources stated that More had received just one day of training to drive BEST buses.
On the day of the accident, More was driving Bus No. 332 on the Kurla-Andheri route. He reportedly completed three trips along this route before the fatal incident occurred. Police are also investigating which buses More drove between December 1 and December 9.
More has been remanded to police custody for 11 days for further questioning. He has reportedly told the police that he lost control of the bus at the time of the accident. The police are delving into More's mental state during the incident and may record statements from his family members, including his wife, to gain more insight.
To assess the condition of the bus, the police have sent it for an RTO inspection. The report is still awaited, and it will shed light on whether the vehicle's condition contributed to the accident.
This tragic incident has raised serious concerns about the safety protocols of outsourced bus operations and the adequacy of driver training. The investigation continues.