Mumbai Court Sends BEST Bus Driver to Police Custody After Fatal Kurla Crash
Mumbai, 10th December 2024: Following the tragic incident in Kurla, Mumbai, a local court on Tuesday remanded Sanjay More, the driver of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus, into police custody until 21st December. More has been charged with ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder,’ one day after the devastating crash. The authorities are currently investigating the incident, aiming to uncover the circumstances and negligence that led to the disaster, which resulted in seven deaths and injuries to over 40 passengers.
Additionally, BEST has formed an inquiry committee, which will be headed by Ramesh Madavi, the Chief Manager (Transport). In a statement, BEST announced that each family of the deceased would receive a compensation of Rs 2 lakh.
Meanwhile, a delegation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met with BEST General Manager Anil Diggikar, demanding Rs 10 lakh in compensation for the families of the victims and amounts ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh for the injured. The delegation criticized the decision to hire buses on a wet lease model — where private contractors provide buses, drivers, and maintenance — between 2018 and 2021, and called for a review of this arrangement, holding it responsible for the accident.
The crash occurred around 9:30 pm on Monday at SG Barve Marg in Kurla (West), when the bus collided with multiple vehicles and pedestrians. The driver was detained at the scene and later arrested under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
