Chembur School Bus Tragedy: Heartbreaking Video Shows 11-Year-Old Child's Devastated Mother Clutching Cricket Bat After Son Killed In Tree Collapse Mishap

A heartbreaking video has surfaced online showing a mother grieving after her 11-year-old son was killed when a tree fell on his school bus in Mumbai’s Chembur on Tuesday, leaving his family and neighbours in shock. Shared by X user @core media, the clip shows the mother tightly clutching her son’s cricket bat.

According to an NDTV report, the child, identified as Vihan Shrivastav, dreamed of becoming a professional cricketer.

The report further states that Vihan's mother, Juhi, has been unable to come to terms with the loss. Hours after the accident, she was seen sitting silently while clutching her son's cricket bat, repeatedly saying that he had to go and play cricket, just as he did every day after school.

Speaking to NDTV, neighbour and family friend Raji Malhotra described Vihan as a bright and disciplined child who loved cricket.

"Only Juhi can describe the immense grief that has befallen her. Vihan used to visit our home often and tell me, 'Aunty, I want to play cricket professionally.' He would say, 'Please ask Dev to teach me cricket.' He was a very sensible, bright child with good values, and his dream was to become a cricketer," Malhotra told NDTV.

She further stated that Vihan was the centre of his mother's life. "Vihan's mother doted on him. He was her whole world. She worried about him constantly. Whenever Vihan was out of the house, she would video call him throughout the day to check on him. Even now, she is sitting there holding his cricket bat. It has become very difficult for her to accept that Vihan is no longer in this world. She still keeps saying that Vihan has to go play cricket," Malhotra said, according to NDTV.

Teacher remembers student
As per the Maharashtra Times report, Vihaan's death has left his teachers deeply shaken. His teacher, Darshika Mehta, remembered him as a good, playful, and intelligent student who was always full of energy. She stated that Vihaan was a smart boy. He also participated in our school's sports teams. She said she couldn't have imagined something like this happening to him.

Bus accident details

According to officials, the school bus initially departed with 14 students on board. During the journey, two children got off at their designated stops. The incident took place near the Heritage Pride building on Road No. 11 when the bus had stopped to drop off another student. At that moment, a roadside tree unexpectedly toppled onto the vehicle.

The impact left the remaining 12 students trapped inside the bus. Local residents, emergency responders, and the bus conductor quickly joined hands to rescue the children. Recalling the incident, Mahendra Patil, a resident who helped with the rescue, said they immediately rushed to the bus after noticing it had been struck by the fallen tree. Since a large branch had crashed through the middle of the vehicle, students seated at the back found it difficult to escape. He added that rescuers had to reassure the frightened children before breaking the bus windows to safely evacuate them.

Hospital and civic response

Hospital Director Dr Roy Patankar told NDTV that two of the injured children underwent CT scans and are receiving treatment, while the remaining two were examined and found to be stable.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde visited the site soon after being informed about the incident and directed officials to conduct a detailed inquiry. She stated that authorities had reported that the trees along the affected road had been pruned ahead of the monsoon season. However, the investigation will examine whether any recent road concreting work in the area may have impacted the tree's stability and whether residents had previously raised concerns. Tawde said that appropriate action would be taken against those responsible if any lapses or negligence are identified during the probe.

Published on: Wednesday, July 01, 2026, 09:53 AM IST