Untrained Driver Behind Fatal Kurla Bus Accident, Reveals Mumbai Police Investigation

The Kurla bus accident, which occurred on December 9 and resulted in the deaths of nine individuals and injuries to 49 others, was caused by an untrained electric bus driver who lost control of the vehicle, said the police. The driver, Sanjay More, dragged the bus full of passengers for 300 meters before it finally stopped.

More, who remained in police custody for 11 days, disclosed during interrogation that the training he received from contractors between November 25 and 27 focused primarily on managing panic situations. He revealed that he had only a few minutes of hands-on electric bus driving practice on November 24. "No comprehensive driving training was provided during the three-day training period," More stated.

The police have also scrutinized the agreements between BEST and the contractors involved. The agreement specified a mandatory seven-day training for bus drivers before they began their duties. However, it was revealed that this requirement was not followed when hiring More. Despite this failure by the contractors to adhere to the terms of the agreement, they have not yet been named as accused in the case.

A senior police official confirmed that the investigation has gathered sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. "We have sufficient evidence to get a conviction in this case, and the chargesheet will be filed within a month," the official said. The police further added that while More claimed to have panicked during the incident, it is difficult to believe that a driver with over 25 years of experience failed to apply the brakes after mistakenly pressing the accelerator, resulting in the bus being dragged for such a long distance. "It is hard to believe that a driver with over 25 years of experience failed to apply the brakes after mistakenly pressing the accelerator," the official stated.​