BEST bus crash | Need to probe if driver used vehicle as a ‘weapon’: Mumbai police

A day after the horrific bus accident in Mumbai’s Kurla, police on Tuesday (December 10) told a local court that they needed to probe if the driver of the BEST bus that mowed down seven persons and injured 42 others had committed the act “deliberately” and used the vehicle as a “weapon”.

The court has remanded the driver, Sanjay More (54), to police custody till December 21.

The bus operated by the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking hit several vehicles and pedestrians in the incident, which took place at around 9.30 pm on Monday on the SG Barve Marg in Kurla (West).

Also read: Mumbai: 7 dead, 42 hurt as BEST bus driver loses control; brake failure suspected

Didn’t stop after hitting first vehicle

The bus driver rammed 50-60 vehicles and kept going for 300 metres after hitting the first vehicle, the police have told the court.

Seeking police custody of the driver, the investigating officer in the case also said he was aware that he was in a crowded area, and the police want to probe whether he had a motive behind driving the bus recklessly. The bus, which had passengers on board, had come to a halt after hitting the gates of an apartment complex.

More was detained after the incident. He was later arrested and booked under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.

The police produced him before a magistrate court and sought his remand, citing that the alleged crime was serious and a thorough investigation was needed.

It submitted that it needed to investigate the accused's intention in committing the crime and if there was any conspiracy.

Police further said it needed to probe if the driver used the bus in his possession as a “weapon” and drove it recklessly in a congested area, endangering the lives of passengers and pedestrians.

Transport dept yet to examine bus

It is necessary to investigate if the accused had received the training to drive the bus and if he was under the influence of narcotics at the time of the incident, they said.

Police also said the transport department was yet to examine the bus involved in an accident.

Also read: BEST bus crash: Driver arrested; had no experience of driving EVs, say police

Opposing the police’s plea, More's lawyer, Samadhan Sulane, said the accident could have occurred due to technical fault in the bus.

He argued that it was the administration's responsibility to thoroughly check these vehicles before handing them over to drivers.

The lawyer also cited the examples of vehicles catching fire due to short circuits and said More had received proper training and had been driving the bus regularly.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court remanded the accused to the custody of police till December 21.

(With agency inputs)