Kurla BEST bus crash: Driver opens up for first time, says he minimised loss of lives by taking evasive action

BEST bus driver Sanjay More outside the Kurla magistrate court. File pic

After seeing a minor spark in the vehicle, I got startled and lost control," said Sanjay More, the BEST bus driver, who on December 9 rammed into several pedestrials and vehicles in Kurla, killing nine and injuring 49 others. Speaking with mid-day while being escorted by police to the Kurla metropolitan magistrate court, More recalled the horrifying incident saying, "I wasn't provided sufficient training to drive an electric bus. I didn't know what to do. I tried to control the vehicle to the best of my ability, but couldn't. So I swerved left to reduce the speed of the bus and minimise damage."

According to the police, Sanjay More accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brakes, leading to the accident. The incident created havoc in Ambedkar Nagar in Kurla. A mob gathered following the accident, looking to assault More. However, he was saved by Advocate Siddiqui Asif Hussain before the crowd could get hold of him.

Recalling the incident, More said, "After the accident, I had to face public outrage and I feared that someone would beat me to death. An unknown person saved me and then the police took me away from the spot."

The smashed front of the bus involved in the December 9 accident. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The police pressed charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against More and arrested him. They are yet to book the BEST Undertaking and the contractors and sub-contractors for failing to provide adequate training to the driver.

"It was rash driving and the driver's negligence and that caused the accident. His medical reports suggest that he is mentally stable and was not under the influence of alcohol when the incident took place. We will take action against any other person if we find they are at fault. So far, no one else has been booked," a senior official had told mid-day on condition of anonymity.

More's lawyer, however, expressed concerns over the investigation as no sub-contractor has been booked so far. "My client has cooperated with the investigation. He has told the police and has also stated to me that the BEST had provided inadequate training. He told me that he had attended a three-day training programme in Dindoshi, and during that time, only an introductory session was conducted. He did not get a chance to actually drive the bus and was asked to take two rounds in the name of training. The police are not agreeing to investigate the training process despite More's statement," Samadhan Sulane told mid-day.

Meanwhile, More's son said the driver appeared to be frightened. "He has been having sleepless nights after the incident. When he was at home, he often complained that he worked for long hours and that the contractors treated the leased drivers as slaves. He is an excellent driver, but after this accident, he has lost his confidence. The contractor must be booked for not providing adequate training," he told mid-day.

According to Sulane, BEST drivers who are outsourced generally work for longer hours and protocols are generally not followed. "More told me that they have to complete five rounds daily. On December 9, he completed his first round and found that there were no mechanical issues with the bus. During the second round, he noticed a minor spark and then lost his control over the vehicle," he said.

The Kurla police, however, stated that there were no mechanical issues with the vehicle. "The RTO and the BEST reports have stated that the bus has no mechanical error," said Ganesh Gawade, DCP, Zone V. The Kurla magistrate court sent More to judicial custody on December 21.

9
No. of people killed in accident