BEST driver assaulted for not stopping packed bus at Kalanagar stand

The situation escalated when one of the accused broke the wiper of the bus, thrashed the window and beat up Khanvilkar

Mumbai: The police have arrested one person and launched a manhunt for two others for assaulting a 52-year-old BEST driver after he could not stop the vehicle at Kalanagar stand in Bandra East as there was no space for more passengers in the vehicle. The accused also vandalised the vehicle which was running on route number C-72 (Rani Laxmibai Chowk, Sion to Bhayandar station).

BEST driver assaulted for not stopping packed bus at Kalanagar stand

The victim, identified as Balwant Khanvilkar, sustained injuries to his face, head and hands and was taken to Sion Hospital for treatment. The police said the incident occurred around 7:30pm on Friday when the bus driver did not halt the bus as it was too crowded and there was no room for more passengers. The three accused who were waiting at the Kalanagar bus stand got angry and when they saw the bus halting a few metres away at the traffic signal, they reached there and started abusing the driver.

The situation escalated when one of the accused broke the wiper of the bus, thrashed the window and beat up Khanvilkar. The other two joined in and started hitting him on the head, nose, and hands, said the officials.

“We are now scanning the CCTV footage to identify the two other accused,” said senior police inspector Rajendra Mulik of the Kherwadi police station.

Balwant Khanvilkar, who lives in Shastri Nagar in Bandra East, reported to duty at Dharavi Depot. He was driving an AC bus on the C-72 route with bus conductor Sudam Banjara. After the assault, the traffic police reached the spot and caught one of the accused, the other two fled the scene. The bus driver and the accused were brought to the Kherwadi police station where the statements were recorded.