Killer school bus in Mumbai runs another life in painted makeover

RTO officers recently seized the school bus that had killed a nine-year-old boy in Sion on November 23 last year while reversing.

The Central Regional Transport Office, Tardeo, had cancelled its permit and fitness certificate following an investigation into the accident. This means the bus is not supposed to ply on city roads.

But the operator changed the colour of the bus, added or modified some parts and ran services in the Wadala area. “We seized the bus and arrested the driver on February 22,” an officer said.

“The bus was parked outside the Mahim station. We recognised the bus through the registration number. As expected, the driver could not produce any document such as the tax slip, permit or registration papers because we had cancelled them.”

Last year, when the bus was reversing the driver did not notice that one of the boys had stuck his head out of a window. His head banged against a billboard and he died of head injuries.

DNA had reported on November 29 that RTO officers had found at least eight violations — the driver had an expired driving licence, two rods instead of the required three ran along the windows on either side of the bus, no first-aid kit, no fire extinguishers and no boards displaying “school bus” were to name a few.

Another officer said a case has been filed in the Byculla magistrate’s court. “The matter will come up for hearing on April 3,” he said.

Repeated attempts to contact the operator did not yield any result.