Driver booked for rash driving after bus-carrying 64 school children hits tree on old Mumbai-Pune highway

Mumbai: The driver of the bus that hit a tree along the Old-Mumbai Pune highway on Friday afternoon was booked for rash driving and carrying more than the permitted number of passengers in the bus. The bus was carrying a total of 70 persons including 64 students.

The driver, identified as Amol Rajendra Mathurkar, a resident of Kopar Gaon Dombivli in Thane also received an injury in his leg.

Bus was in high speed

According to police, the initial investigation revealed that Mathirkar was driving the bus at high speed in the Ghat area along the old Mumbai-Pune highway. Because of the high speed, he lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle hit a tree. “It was fortunate that the bushit a tree and stopped. If it had not stopped by a tree, the bus would have fallen deep into the ghat area and children might have received severe injuries,” said an official from Khopoli police station.

It was a narrow escape for 64 students and six teaching staff of Charu Bama Mhatre Vidyamandir, Domvivali, as the bus in which they were travelling along the old Mumbai-Pune Highway hit a tree on Friday afternoon. The incident took place around 1.30 pm when the bus was going to Gagangiri Ashram in Khopoli from Lonavala.

Shrish Pawar, Senior Police Inspector from Khopoli police station, said that no one was injured in the incident. Soon after the incident was reported, the local administration, Khopoli police and highway police rushed to the spot and rescued all the children who were inside the bus. “All the children were provided with water and eatables,” said Mr Pawar.

All the students who boarded the bus were from class third to seven students. “They had visited the Ekvira Devi Temple situated along the old Mumbai-Pune highway near Lonavala,” said Mr Pawar. He added that after visiting the temple, they were going to Gagangiri Ashram in Khopoli when the incident took place. Later, all the children were sent by another bus by the local administration.

A case has been registered against the driver under sections 279, 337 of the IPC and sections 177, 184 and 194 A of the Motor Vehicle Act.