How 'neutral' mode confusion of BEST bus driver led to big tragedy in Mumbai

A late-night accident outside Bhandup station in Mumbai resulted in four fatalities when a BEST electric bus inadvertently struck pedestrians.

Updated on: Dec 31, 2025, 10:55:30 IST

By HT News Desk

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A late-night commute outside Bhandup railway station in Mumbai turned tragic on Monday when a BEST electric bus rammed pedestrians, killing four people and injuring several others, according to police and transport officials.

The driver mistakenly believed the bus was in neutral mode, causing it to surge forward. (HT_PRINT)

The incident occurred at around 10 pm in one of the busiest stretches outside the station, where commuters were standing in queues for buses amid heavy congestion caused by autos, hawkers, and narrow road space.

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The driver, 52-year-old Santosh Ramesh Sawant, had just taken charge of the stationary electric bus operating on route 606 when the accident happened, police said.

How the tragedy unfolded

During interrogation, Sawant told investigators that he believed the bus was in neutral mode, but when he started the engine and pressed the accelerator, the vehicle surged forward as it was actually in drive mode.

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Instead of braking, the bus gathered speed, and seeing a large crowd ahead, Sawant attempted to steer right to avoid a bigger catastrophe, but the bus ended up mounting the footpath and hitting around 15 people.

A tragic incident in Mumbai saw a BEST electric bus ram into pedestrians, killing four and injuring several others.

CCTV footage from nearby shops later surfaced online, showing people running for cover as the bus moved uncontrollably, adding to the shock and panic at the scene.

Shopkeepers and locals rushed to help victims before emergency services arrived, while the injured were shifted to Rajawadi and Lokmanya Tilak hospitals, where four people, three women and a man, were declared dead.

Police arrested the driver on the spot and booked him under sections related to culpable homicide, endangering life, and dangerous driving, while an investigation was launched to determine whether the crash was caused by human error or a technical fault.

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BEST has announced financial assistance of ₹2 lakh for each deceased victim’s family and ordered an internal departmental probe into the accident, according to a report by news agency PTI.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced additional compensation, ANI reported.

(With inputs from HT correspondent).

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HT News Desk
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