A 27-year-old man was killed in a tragic accident involving a wet-lease BEST bus near Shivaji Nagar Intersection in Govandi late on Saturday night, December 14. The victim, Dikshit Rajput, was a 27-year-old non-teaching staff member at an institute in Vidyavihar.
The incident occurred when Rajput was returning home on his two-wheeler after dropping a friend and picking up food for his family. At the same time, a bus operated by the BVG Group under a wet-lease arrangement was travelling from Shivaji Nagar to the Kurla bus station.
According to preliminary reports, the bus allegedly struck his motorcycle from behind. Rajput then lost control of his vehicle and fell in front of the tire. This led him to suffer head injuries.
At 12:16 am, the witnesses hurried Rajput to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, where he was pronounced dead. The victim's family received a call from the police around 12:30 am, informing them about the accident.
Deonar police have detained the driver, Vinod Rankhambe, 39. He reportedly has 15 years of driving experience. Police said he was not under the influence of alcohol during the incident.
Police are now investigating whether he had received proper training before being allowed to drive. CCTV footage from the area has been reviewed, but authorities could not draw any conclusions due to unclear visuals. The bus involved in the accident has been seized.
As per reports, his family, including his father, mother, and younger brother, is demanding better training for outsourced drivers to prevent such tragedies. They have urged authorities to hold those responsible accountable and ensure thorough training for drivers before entrusting them with large electric vehicles.
Police have registered a case against Rankhambe under Sections 106, 125, and 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the accident and whether negligence played a role.
This is the third accident involving BEST buses in one week. On December 9, a speeding BEST bus killed seven people and injured 42 in Kurla. Two days later, a pedestrian was run over near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.
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