THANE: A 41-year-old woman died and another was injured after one of BEST's recently launched hybrid buses ploughed into them at Hiranandani Estate in Thane on Monday. This is the third fatal accident involving a BEST bus in about a week's time.
The police said Priti Naidu and Pramita Malik were residents of the complex, and had stepped out for a walk around 8.30pm. "The bus had arrived from BKC and all passengers had alighted. When the driver steered to his right, he may not have seen the two women. While Naidu was killed, Malik has sustained injuries to her legs and has been admitted to Jupiter hospital," a police officer said.
The officer added the driver panicked on hearing the women scream and rammed into a divider. "He fled the spot fearing a public thrashing but later surrendered to the police," he said.
It is learnt that Naidu was trapped underneath the bus and could not be pulled out easily. "The new buses are low floor and hence, the victim could not be pulled out immediately. A heavy duty hydraulic jack was brought to the spot and the bus had to be lifted upwards to pull Naidu out," a police officer said.
Picture for representational purpose only.