Four privately-owned luxury buses in Bhayandar were gutted in a mysterious fire on Saturday morning. The incident was reported near the ST bus depot outside the railway station in Bhayandar (west) at around 5 AM.
While four buses were reduced into a heap of mangled iron remains, fire brigade personnel reached the spot and doused the fire while managing to prevent one bus from getting gutted in the raging flames.
The exact cause of fire is yet to be ascertained.
The incident comes close on the heels of the horrifying case in which a four-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in a bus near Bhola Nagar by the driver who also tried to kill her.
However, the girl was fortunate to survive the murder bid.
The municipal and police authorities are under the scanner for allowing illegal parking of luxury buses on roads in Mira Road and Bhayandar.
“Investigations were on to ascertain the cause of fire. Since the RTO is closed due to holidays, we are yet to contact the owners. However, a detailed probe is on." confirmed a police officer.
It has been alleged that most of these buses, owned by private transport agencies, conveniently transform into safe havens for anti-social elements-especially drunkards and junkies for consuming booze and drugs, as the authorities turn a blind eye to the illegal activities.
The gory incident of rape and attempt to murder of the minor girl stand as testimony to the accusations.
