‘He abused me, told me to go back’

It was Shivaji Borde’s experience of over 20 years as bus conductor and ability to react in a crisis that saved the life of over 16 commuters on the upper level of the BEST bus in Kurla on Monday morning.

It was Shivaji Borde’s experience of over 20 years as bus conductor and ability to react in a crisis that saved the life of over 16 commuters on the upper level of the BEST bus in Kurla on Monday morning.

HT Image

Borde who was on duty on the lower deck told HT: “I heard some noise coming from the upper deck and thought that it must be one of those fights which we encounter daily due to the non-availability of change.”

Borde then climbed the upper deck after clearing through the rush. “The moment I raised my head to reach the upper deck, a young man with a revolver in his hand started abusing me and said that I should go back or else I will be killed. I saw my colleague Mahendra Dhule and others on board in trouble.”

Without wasting any time, Borde then asked the driver, AH Khan, to stop the bus and asked the commuters on the lower deck to get out.