Mumbai: School bus rams into car, bike: one injured

A 57-year-old school bus driver plying an empty bus on Tuesday afternoon was arrested on charges of losing control of his vehicle and ramming it into a car and a motorbike on Dr Arun Kumar Vaidya road in Mahim. One pedestrian who was standing near the accident spot sustained minor injuries.

Mahim police identified the accused as Joseph Fernandes, who was allegedly driving from Raheja hospital towards Dr Arun Kumar Vaidya road, when he allegedly lost control of his vehicle. Fernandes in an attempt to control the vehicle, allegedly crashed into a I20 car waiting to take a right turn on the road. "Fernandes lost control of the bus, and dashed into a car and a motorcycle before coming to a halt after the bike got stuck under the wheels of the bus," said an officer from Mahim police station. He added, "Policemen in a patrolling vehicle which was parked near the spot of the accident immediately arrested Fernandes."

A pedestrian identified as Shivkishen Jamatia (19) who was standing near the police chowky on the road sustained minor injuries. The police added, "Luckily the bus was empty as the driver had dropped off the students before the accident took place." In his statement, Fernandes allegedly told the police that the brakes of the vehicle had failed.

Mahim police booked Fernandes for negligence and rash driving and have collected his blood samples to ascertain whether he was under the influence of alcohol while driving.