Driver flees through window with backpacks after deadly Kurla bus crash

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Shocking footage has emerged from a tragic incident in Mumbai's Kurla area, where a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) electric bus veered out of control, leaving seven people dead and 42 others injured. According to PTI, CCTV footage from the bus shows the driver, Sanjay More, hastily collecting two backpacks from the cabin and leaping out of a shattered window following the accident.

The incident occurred at around 9.30 pm on Monday night on the busy SG Barve Marg in Kurla (West). As per PTI reports, the electric bus ran amok, colliding with pedestrians and vehicles in its path, causing widespread panic. The crash also damaged 22 vehicles, including those parked along the street.

Several video clips, ranging from 50 seconds to over a minute, have gone viral on social media. These visuals capture the harrowing moments inside the bus, with passengers clinging to poles and grab handles in an attempt to stay safe. Others stood up, visibly alarmed, to assess the chaos unfolding on the streets.

In one clip, after the bus swerved to a halt, passengers can be seen escaping through shattered windows. The driver, More, was captured on CCTV leaving the cabin with two black backpacks and jumping out through a broken window on the left-hand side of the bus. Meanwhile, the conductor exited through the rear door.

According to PTI, the driver has since been arrested on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and has been remanded in police custody until 21 December. Further investigations have revealed that More lacked experience in operating electric vehicles and underwent only 10 days of training prior to driving the EV bus.

Following the tragedy, top officials from BEST and the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) convened meetings on Wednesday with private operators who supply buses under the wet lease model. As per PTI, these operators have been directed to provide detailed information regarding their driver training programmes, recruitment criteria, and training infrastructure. BEST has also announced plans to make breathalyser tests mandatory for all drivers to enhance safety measures.

A separate meeting was held between senior BEST officials and the Maharashtra transport commissioner, who has ordered an internal investigation into the incident. According to an official, the findings of this investigation will be submitted to the state government for further action.

Under the wet lease model, private contractors are responsible for providing drivers and maintaining buses, while government bodies pay them a predetermined fee for the service. Monday's fatal crash has raised questions about the adequacy of driver training and operational oversight under this system.

PTI reports that BEST and MSRTC officials have assured the public of strengthened safety protocols and stricter driver training standards to prevent such tragedies in future.

(With inputs from PTI)