Investigation Highlights Potential 'Human Error' in Mumbai Bus Tragedy

A bus of Mumbai's civic-run transport, BEST, crashed into pedestrians, resulting in six fatalities and ten injuries. Officials suspect a human error as the mechanical state of the bus was found sound. The driver has been arrested for alleged negligence, and investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause.

A catastrophic accident involving a BEST bus in Mumbai resulted in six deaths and injuries to ten others, leaving authorities scrambling to uncover the cause. Initial investigations suggest that the vehicle, a nine-meter electric model from Olectra Greentech, was mechanically sound, hinting at a human error as the potential root of the tragedy.

On Monday night, the bus collided with pedestrians near the Bhandup (West) suburban railway station. The driver, Santosh Ramesh Sawant, has been arrested for negligent driving. BEST's General Manager has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the incident while the Wadala Regional Transport Office inspected the vehicle involved.

Authorities are reviewing the bus's braking system and driving patterns to eliminate mechanical failure from the list of possibilities. The incident mirrors a previous fatal crash with an Olectra bus less than a year ago, prompting wider scrutiny of the fleet by municipal transport officials.

(With inputs from agencies.)