A tragic road accident in Mumbai's Aarey Colony claimed the life of a truck driver early Thursday morning after a BEST bus allegedly rammed into his vehicle. The bus driver and conductor were injured in the incident.
Details of the Aarey Colony Collision
The fatal crash occurred around 6:20 am on Thursday on Dinkarrao Desai Marg. According to police, a Gujarat-registered truck was heading towards Powai. When it was approximately 200 meters east of the Aarey Colony unit no. 16 bus stop, a wet-lease BEST bus on route number A-478 collided with it. The bus was traveling from the Vikhroli depot towards Borivli East railway station.
The impact caused grievous injuries to the truck driver, identified as 37-year-old Chehraji Thakur, a resident of Gujarat. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead. The bus driver, 48-year-old Mohammad Rafiq Shaikh, and the conductor, 56-year-old Ravindra Shembadkar, sustained injuries in the collision.
Police Action and Conflicting Accounts
The Aarey Colony police have registered an FIR against bus driver Mohammad Rafiq Shaikh under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. However, he has not been arrested yet as he is currently recuperating in the hospital. The First Information Report was filed based on the statement of the truck's cleaner, Suresh Kumar Rawat, who is also from Gujarat.
BEST officials presented a different version of events, blaming the unseasonal morning rain for the mishap. In an official statement, they claimed the "truck lost control due to the rain-soaked road and slipped, causing the vehicle to veer towards the bus and collide into the front right portion of the bus driver's cabin."
Aftermath and Injuries
Following the collision, the injured bus staff were taken to the Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Hospital in Jogeshwari. According to the BEST statement, driver Shaikh suffered a head injury from the broken front windshield and injuries to his right leg and knee. Conductor Shembadkar sustained minor injuries on his left hand and leg.
"Shaikh underwent a CT scan and is reported to be fully conscious and stable," the BEST statement confirmed. The police investigation into the exact cause of the accident is ongoing as they examine both accounts of the tragic event.
