Days after the fatal BEST bus accident in Mumbai’s Kurla, a 55-year-old man, Fazlu Rehman, succumbed to his injuries on Monday morning, raising the death toll to eight, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official confirmed.
The accident, which took place on December 9, involved an electric bus hired by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking on a wet-lease basis. The bus veered into a crowded road, killing seven people instantly and leaving 42 others injured. Several vehicles were also damaged in the crash.
Rehman, who was undergoing treatment at Sion Hospital, died from his injuries, the police said.
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Following the incident, BEST has formed a five-member committee, led by Chief Manager (Transport) Ramesh Madavi, to investigate the cause of the crash.
Initial findings suggest human error and inadequate training in handling automatic transmission buses could be contributing factors, as per Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials.
The accused driver, Sanjay More, 54, is in police custody for alleged reckless driving. BEST disclosed that More had undergone only three days of training before being allowed to operate the electric bus.
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In a statement last week, BEST assured compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased and pledged to cover the medical expenses of the injured.