One year after Kurla’s horror, Mumbai sees another deadly bus crash in Bhandup | Top developments

Police are probing a reversing-endpoint manoeuvre, crowding near the station and possible technical faults after four pedestrians died.

A BEST bus accident near Bhandup (West) railway station in Mumbai killed four people, three of them women, and injured nine, forcing a late-night emergency response and triggering demands for accountability. The driver has been detained and police say they are probing whether mechanical faults, operating constraints at the endpoint, or crowding contributed to the crash.

Key points we know

What happened: A reversing BEST bus knocked down pedestrians on Station Road outside Bhandup (West) railway station late Monday night.

Casualties: Four dead (three women, one man); nine injured and shifted to a nearby hospital, police said.

Time and place: The accident occurred around 10 pm–10.05 pm outside Bhandup (West) station, according to police and BEST’s public relations officer.

Driver and FIR: The driver, identified as Santosh Ramesh Sawant (52), was detained; police said an FIR was being registered.

Bus details: The vehicle was a wet-leased midi bus hired from Olectra Greentech, a senior civic official said.

Why reversing mattered: A civic official said the bus was reversing at the route endpoint; eyewitnesses and officials cited heavy crowds and a difficult turning radius near the station.

Hawkers and footpath squeeze: An eyewitness said sidewalk encroachment by hawkers pushed pedestrians onto the road in a busy market stretch.

Investigation: Police said the bus will be inspected for mechanical/technical faults; forensic teams collected samples and the site was cordoned off.

Political reaction: CM Devendra Fadnavis announced Rs 5 lakh assistance for each deceased victim’s family. Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad sought an inquiry, citing concerns over bus condition and training.

Context point: A witness pointed to a similar Kurla incident last year involving a BEST electric bus that killed nine, arguing for a deeper investigation into operating conditions on crowded routes.