Days after Kurla accident, BEST bus runs over a 27-year-old biker

Mumbai: A week after eight people were crushed to death by BEST buses, the city witnessed another fatal incident on Saturday night. A 27-year-old bike rider, Dikshit Rajput, lost his life after being struck by a BEST bus near the Shivaji Nagar bus depot in Govandi West at approximately 11:30 pm.

Rajput, a resident of Govandi, was returning home from work, and was hit by a bus operating on route no 375 (Bandra Bus Depot to Shivaji Nagar), managed by the BVG Group under a wet-lease agreement. The bus was en route to Kurla Junction from Shivaji Nagar when the accident occurred. Deonar police have arrested the driver, 39-year-old Vinod Abaji Rankhambe, in connection with the incident.

Initial investigations revealed that the bus reportedly collided with Rajput’s scooter from behind, causing him to fall and sustain critical head injuries upon impact with the ground. Witnesses at the scene rushed Rajput to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, but he was declared dead on arrival at 12:16 am on Sunday.

The victim’s mother, Lakshmi Rajput, 44, was inconsolable upon hearing the news of her son’s demise. “He was returning home after work when I received a call from the police informing me of the accident,” she said.

Residents of Govandi have raised serious concerns over the safety of the area, citing chronic congestion caused by illegal parking and wrong-side driving as significant contributors to accidents. A police officer from the Deonar station remarked, “This spot witnesses frequent accidents due to unauthorised parking and violations. We issue fines daily, but the problem persists.”

A BEST spokesperson added that Rajput’s scooter allegedly came into contact with the bus’s rear right tyre. While it has been suggested that Rajput may have been riding at high speed, police are conducting further inquiries. The driver has been charged under sections 106(a) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 125 (rash and negligent driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.

This marks the third fatal accident involving BEST buses in a single week. On December 9, a speeding BEST bus claimed the lives of seven people and injured 42 others. Two days later, a 55-year-old pedestrian was run over opposite Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on Wednesday afternoon after being hit by a motorbike.

The alarming rise in fatalities involving BEST buses has sparked widespread concern, with citizens and experts calling for immediate improvements in operational safety and road infrastructure. “Urgent measures are required to address these recurring incidents and prevent further loss of life,” said an eyewitness.

BEST driver assaulted by motorcyclist in Malad

A BEST bus driver, Abdul Rashid Hussain, was assaulted by a motorcyclist near Orlem Church, Malad West, on Saturday evening. The rider, frustrated by a lack of space to overtake, boarded the bus and attacked Hussain with a helmet. Despite passenger intervention, the assailant fled. Hussain later filed a police complaint against the unidentified rider.