Meanwhile, cops have collected bags and belongings of passengers, which were flung across the accident site, and are waiting for survivors and kin of the deceased to reclaim them
A day after an ST bus plunged down a slope in Malshej Ghat after a head-on collision with a truck, the driver of the truck was produced before Murbad Court. The accident, which killed 27 persons and injured 10 others, took place on Thursday when the bus was on its way to Ahmednagar (‘27 plunge to death as bus hits truck at Malshej Ghat’, January 3).
The mangled remains of the ST bus that went down the slope. Pic/Sayed Sameer Abedi
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The truck driver Sarbajit Musai (54), who is a resident of Ulhasnagar, sustained several injuries on his head and was admitted to a nearby hospital. Upon discharge, he was produced in court. Uttam Govind Chakre, highway traffic police officer, said that fortunately, there had been no increase in the death toll.
“At 3 pm, Musai was produced before a court. He has been charged under sections 304 (a) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 279 (rash driving) 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 427 (mischief causing damage) of the IPC and Section 184 (rash driving) of the Motor Vehicles Act.” He has been remanded in police custody.
Meanwhile, none of the passengers travelling in the bus have come forward to identify their belongings, which were flung across the site of the accident, revealed Assistant Police Inspector HC Patil from Tokwade police station. “All the belongings of the accident victims, which we found at the spot, are with us and we will hand them over to the survivors once they identify it, and upon necessary verification.
Since the bodies of the deceased were handed over to relatives late on Thursday night, we are not expecting the relatives to come forward very soon, as they might be struggling to come to terms with the shock and trauma of losing their loved ones in the accident,” said Patil.
The police have found loose cash, household utensils and bags belonging to the passengers. Meanwhile, Rajesh Saste, a local who drives vehicles in Malshej, said that the accident has sparked fear among the locals. “I will be extremely careful while driving through this spot, after such a grave accident has taken place.”
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