Driver collected backpacks, jumped out of window after Kurla bus horror
Mumbai (PTI): The CCTV footage of the BEST bus that mowed down seven persons in Mumbai's Kurla area shows driver Sanjay More collecting two backpacks from the cabin and jumping out of a broken window after the accident.
Four to five video clips with a duration of 50 seconds to over 1 minute went viral on social media on Wednesday.
The visuals show passengers panicking as the electric vehicle (EV) ran amok, hitting vehicles and pedestrians on Monday night on a busy street in Kurla (west).
Some passengers tried to tightly hold on to the poles and grab handles, while others rose from their seats to fathom what was happening on the streets as the bus moved forward.
After the bus swerved to a halt, several passengers jumped out of the shattered windows.
A clip shows Sanjay More coming out of the bus cabin holding two black backpacks, and jumping out of a broken window on the left side of the bus.
The bus conductor got down from the rear side door.
The out-of-control electric bus operated by the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking rammed into pedestrians and vehicles at around 9.30 pm on Monday on the SG Barve Marg in Kurla (West).
Besides killing seven persons and injuring 42 others, including four policemen on ‘bandobast’ duty, the accident also wrecked 22 vehicles.
The bus driver has been arrested for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and remanded in police custody till December 21.
According to details that have emerged so far, More had no experience in driving electric vehicles and underwent only a 10-day training for steering EVs.
Top officials of BEST and the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) held meetings on Wednesday with private operators who supply buses to government agencies under the wet lease model and affirmed to focus on driver training and taking extra safety steps.
BEST will also make breath analyser test mandatory for drivers in the wake of the Kurla crash.
At the meetings, the private operators were asked to provide details of training given to drivers, their appointment criteria, training infrastructure and modules, officials said.
Another meeting was held between senior BEST officials and the Maharashtra transport commissioner, who directed BEST to conduct an internal investigation and submit a report, which will be sent to the state government, an official said.
Under the wet lease model, the responsibility of providing drivers and carrying out maintenance of hired buses remains with private contractors. The state-run transport bodies, on their part, pay them a specific amount for the buses.
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Karnataka: GBA city corporation polls likely between June 14 and 24
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi on Friday said elections to the five city corporations under the GBA will be held anytime between June 14 and June 24.
He said the exact date for the polls will be announced after a week, asserting that the power to postpone the elections, as requested by GBA authorities, lies with the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had directed the Karnataka government and the State Election Commission to conduct Bengaluru local body elections by June 30.
On Friday, the SEC held a consultation meeting with the GBA Chief Commissioner and commissioners of the five city corporations regarding the election schedule, as per the provisions of the GBA Act.
“During the meeting, I informed GBA officials that only the election date has to be fixed, as all other measures and formalities for conducting the polls have already been completed,” Sangreshi said.
“They requested the Commission to consider factors such as rains, exams, census work, SIR, and manpower shortages while fixing the date and sought additional time,” he added.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, “I told them this meeting was not for seeking time. Elections to the five corporations under the GBA must be held before June 30, as directed by the Supreme Court, and a compliance report must be submitted to the court. I do not have the power to postpone the elections as requested.”
The Supreme Court has already given a “final opportunity,” and both the SEC and the government must comply with its directions, the State Election Commissioner said.
He asked GBA officials to suggest suitable dates between June 14 and June 24.
“While stating that they are ready for elections, the officials highlighted operational challenges, including manpower shortages. However, I have informed them that the elections will have to be held between June 14 and June 24. After a week, I will announce the final date,” he said.
Reiterating that he does not have the power to postpone the elections, Sangreshi said the authority rests with the Supreme Court, and elections must be conducted as scheduled.
“We have consulted the GBA as per the rules. It is up to them to suggest a date within the given window. If they need more time, they must approach the court. Our responsibility is to fix the date and complete the polls before June 30,” he said.
The matter regarding manpower and other concerns raised by GBA officials is already before the Supreme Court, and the State Election Commission has also filed a petition in this regard. The case is yet to be heard.
“Since the matter has not come up for hearing, the earlier order remains binding. Therefore, preparations are underway,” he added.
The tenure of the previous elected body under the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ended on September 10, 2020, and since then, a government-appointed administrator has been managing its day-to-day affairs.
Bengaluru was divided into five municipal corporations—Central, East, West, North, and South—under the Greater Bengaluru Authority in September 2025, replacing the BBMP.
Sangreshi had earlier said that elections to the five corporations would be conducted using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines.
This follows the Congress government’s decision last September to recommend the use of ballot papers in all future panchayat and urban local body elections, citing concerns over declining public confidence in EVMs.
The state government subsequently enacted the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2026, paving the way for the use of ballot papers in local body elections.
