11 hurt in late-night crash on Eastern Freeway

Eleven people, including nine students from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), were injured after their bus met with an accident on the Mankhurd stretch of the Eastern Freeway on Wednesday night.

According to the RCF police, the driver lost control and the bus rammed into the median a few metres before the tunnel that leads to Panjarpol, Chembur, around 10 p.m. Senior police inspector Shrikant Desai said, “We were alerted about the accident around 10.15 p.m. Apart from the driver and cleaner, the bus was carrying nine TIFR students, who were being dropped to their hostel in Mandala.” Mr. Desai said the bus left the Colaba campus around 9.15 p.m.

“Sukul Das (38), who was behind the wheel, confirmed that he was feeling giddy and drowsy,” Mr. Desai said.

Four students, who had fractures and other injuries, were rushed to Zen Hospital in Chembur, while the other five, who had sustained superficial injuries, were taken to Shatabdi Hospital in Govandi. The driver and the cleaner were taken to BARC Hospital in Anushakti Nagar.

Dr. S. Ahire, Senior Medical Officer at Shatabadi Hospital, said, “We received the patients around 10.30 p.m. They were discharged late at night.”

One of the students taken to Zen Hospital was discharged, and three were shifted to Bombay Hospital. They, too, were discharged by Thursday morning. The BARC Hospital discharged the bus cleaner around midnight, while Mr. Das is expected to be discharged by Friday morning, officials said.

Police sub-inspector Harshad Patil said, “All the students are pursuing their Ph.D. and live in the TIFR colony. TIFR officials have confirmed that the institute had hired the bus and the driver to pick up and drop the students every day. Mr. Das said in his statement he had a blackout just before the accident.” The police will record statements of the students on Friday. An incident report has been registered for now.