A one-year-old baby boy died and his 68-year-old grandmother sustained injuries after they were allegedly knocked down by a school bus in Mumbai’s Girgaum area on Tuesday afternoon. The incident has triggered shock among residents and renewed concerns over safety during school pick-up and drop timings.
The accident occurred around 12.15 pm near the Nirmal Niketan building in the Khetwadi area. According to police, the school bus had halted at the spot to drop and pick up students.
Accident during school drop-off
Police said Chandrakala Shivram Vyas, a local resident, had gone to drop her granddaughter to the school bus and was carrying her one-year-old grandson in her arms. After ensuring that her granddaughter boarded the bus, Vyas began crossing the road in front of the vehicle.
“At that moment, the bus driver allegedly moved the bus forward, resulting in the baby boy being run over,” a police source said. Vyas also sustained injuries in the incident.
Locals immediately gathered at the spot and helped rush the injured grandmother and the child to a nearby hospital. Doctors declared the baby boy dead on arrival, while Vyas is currently undergoing treatment.
Driver detained, probe underway
The bus driver, identified as Sambhaji Vakhare (46), has been taken into police custody. Police officials said he will be formally arrested after completion of procedural formalities. The driver has been operating a school bus for the past ten years, an officer added.
The D B Marg police have initiated a detailed investigation. Blood samples of the driver have been collected to determine whether he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. The test reports are awaited.
Possible charges and CCTV evidence
Investigators have obtained CCTV footage from the area to reconstruct the sequence of events. Based on preliminary findings, the driver may be booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with charges of dangerous driving under the Motor Vehicles Act.
The incident has once again highlighted the need for stricter safety protocols around school buses, especially in densely populated residential areas.