A 47-year-old JCB driver was seriously injured after being knocked down by a BEST bus near JVLR Junction on the Eastern Express Highway in Vikhroli East, Mumbai, on Sunday evening, with police registering a case against the bus driver for alleged rash and negligent driving.
The incident occurred at about 7.40 pm as Ataur Rahman Qureshi, who works at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, was crossing the road towards Kanjurmarg. The BEST bus was travelling towards Thane when it allegedly struck him near the junction.
Qureshi suffered serious injuries to the back of his head and the right side of his chest, according to the report. Traffic police helped take him to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in Vikhroli after the collision. He was later shifted by ambulance to Sion Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.
The case was registered after a complaint by Qureshi’s brother-in-law, Shadab Qureshi. Police identified the bus driver as Pradeep Shankar Buge, 32, a resident of Jogeshwari Bus Depot. The complaint alleges that Buge drove rashly and negligently, causing the accident.
The crash occurred on a major east Mumbai road corridor that carries traffic between the city, the eastern suburbs and Thane. JVLR Junction is also a key connection for workers and vehicles moving towards Kanjurmarg, where Qureshi was employed. The reported location places the incident within a busy road environment involving public buses, highway traffic and people crossing between adjoining areas.
The incident also highlights the risks faced by workers who travel across or alongside high-speed urban roads to reach industrial, waste-management and construction-related workplaces. The source report does not provide details on the road’s pedestrian facilities, traffic-control arrangements at the time of the collision or whether any other vehicle was involved.
Police have proceeded against the BEST driver based on the complaint. The available report does not state whether an arrest was made, whether the bus was mechanically inspected or whether CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts were collected. Qureshi’s medical condition remains serious, and he continues to receive treatment at Sion Hospital.
