Driver staged Pune bus fire that killed 4 to avenge workplace disputes
Humbardekar, a resident of Warje area, reportedly smuggled benzene into the vehicle a day earlier, placed rags used for toner cleaning inside the vehicle.
The fire that engulfed a minibus carrying employees of graphic design firm Vyoma Graphics in Hinjewadi on Wednesday morning, killing four and injuring five others, was not an accident but a planned act of revenge by the vehicle’s driver, Hinjewadi police said on Thursday.
By evening, the police had initiated the process of filing a first information report (FIR) and securing the driver’s arrest.
The incident occurred around 7.30 am when the bus was carrying 14 employees on their way to the office for the first shift. According to Vishal Gaikwad, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), the 52-year-old accused driver, Janardan Humbardekar, had deliberately set the bus on fire due to work-related grievances, including constant quarrel with employees he was ferrying.
Initially, authorities suspected a short-circuit might have caused the fire. However, the theory was debunked following the driver’s confession.
“This was not an accident; it was a premeditated act,” Gaikwad said at a press conference at Hinjewadi Police Station on Thursday evening.
Humbardekar, a resident of Warje area, reportedly smuggled benzene into the vehicle a day earlier, placed rags used for toner cleaning inside the vehicle, and ignited them with a matchstick when the bus reached a one-way stretch in Hinjewadi Phase 1. Before the fire spread, he exited the vehicle, ensuring his escape. Humbardekar too sustained minor burn injuries and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
When the fire broke out, the driver had jumped from the bus while it was still in motion. The vehicle proceeded driverless for some 200 metres before it crashed into a tree.
Kanhaiya Thorat, senior inspector attached to Hinjewadi Police Station, said Hambardekar, who has been working with the company since 2006, frequently argued with four to five staff members who regularly travelled in the vehicle. The police investigation revealed that he was agitated over salary deduction and denial of Diwali bonus, despite working overtime.
“His frustration peaked on Tuesday when he couldn’t find his tiffin and had to remain hungry. Already upset over pay cuts and workplace disputes, this incident pushed him over the edge. He decided to take revenge on the employees,” Thorat said.
During the police questioning, Hambardekar allegedly confessed to planning the attack in advance, buying the flammable chemical and ensuring the emergency exit of the bus was faulty so that passengers would struggle to escape. The cops recorded his statement on Thursday morning.
During the initial probe, the police had concluded that the employees died mainly because the emergency exit at the rear end of the minibus malfunctioned as they could not open it.
According to Ruby Hall Clinic, Hinjewadi, where Hambardekar and two other victims are undergoing treatment, the driver sustained only minor superficial burns. Hospital officials said he is likely to be discharged in a couple of days.
Four employees lost their lives in the blaze. The victims were identified as Shankar Shinde, 63; Rajan Chavan, 42; Gurudas Lokare, 45; and Subhash Bhosale, 44. The deceased were residents of Pune and held various roles within the company, such as supervisor, printing machine operator, courier, and paper cutting operator.
