BEST bus crushes senior citizen to death in Bhandup

A 70-year-old pedestrian died as he came between the right front tyre of a BEST bus and electric meter cabin on the side of the road after the bus driver lost control and crashed the bus into the cabin in Bhandup on Wednesday morning.

A 70-year-old pedestrian died as he came between the right front tyre of a BEST bus and electric meter cabin on the side of the road after the bus driver lost control and crashed the bus into the cabin in Bhandup on Wednesday morning.

For representational purpose only. (FILE)

According to traffic police, the incident took place near Ashok Kedar Chowk in Bhandup (West) around 7.15am when the victim, Pundalik Bhagat, was out for morning walk. Police said at the time of the accident, the BEST bus on 605 route was going from Vikhroli bus depot to Bhandup railway station.

As the bus reached Ashok Kedar Chowk, the driver, Baban Mane, 54, lost control over the vehicle and hit the electric meter cabin on the side of the road crushing the senior citizen, before dashing a rickshaw coming from opposite direction and injuring two others — Ravindra Tiwari, 65, and Mukesh Upadhyay, 44.

All the three injured were taken to the hospital where Bhagat was declared dead as he had suffered severe injuries to his head and shoulder.

Since the bus was stuck and could not be moved, traffic police officers removed it and handed over the driver to Bhandup police.

“The driver told us that there was a slight curve on the road which he did not notice and lost control over the bus due to speed,” said a police officer from the traffic chowkie at Vikhroli.

Officers added that since there is less traffic early morning, bus drivers tend to speed.