Four dead as reversing BEST bus mows down pedestrians in Mumbai’s Bhandup

Mumbai was jolted by a horrific late-night accident on December 30 after a reversing BEST bus crushed pedestrians on a busy road in Bhandup (West), killing four people — including three women — and injuring nine others.

Disturbing CCTV footage from a nearby textile shop shows a group of people standing along the roadside when the bus suddenly moves backwards. Within seconds, panic erupts as pedestrians scatter in all directions, some failing to escape before being knocked down and crushed under the vehicle’s wheels.

The accident occurred around 10 pm on Station Road, a densely crowded stretch in suburban Bhandup. Police said the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.

The bus driver has been detained and an FIR registered. Senior civic officials said the mishap took place when the driver was reversing the bus at the endpoint of its route.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh each for the families of those killed. Calling the incident “extremely unfortunate” in a post on X, he paid tributes to the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery, assuring that the state government would provide financial assistance to the victims’ families.

The vehicle involved was a wet-leased midi bus hired from Olectra Greentech. Under BEST’s wet lease model, the contractor is responsible for fuel, the driver, and maintenance.

The tragedy has once again sparked concerns over the deployment of midi buses in the Bhandup area. Earlier this year, BEST had withdrawn mini buses from congested routes linking Bhandup station to nearby slum clusters at the foothills of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. However, due to a shortage of buses, Olectra-made midi buses were later introduced on these routes despite operational challenges, including an inadequate turning radius, officials said.

The incident has renewed questions over route planning, vehicle suitability, and passenger safety on Mumbai’s overcrowded roads.