Locals join Mumbai Police to rescue victims in Bhandup bus crash

Local citizens help the police lift the bus to rescue those trapped beneath it. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

With the fire brigade personnel unable to reach the site, the police were the first to reach the spot and lift the bus to rescue those trapped under. The injured were initially ferried to hospital in police vehicles, before ambulances could arrive. Immediately after the mishap, teams from Bhandup, Vikhroli, Navghar, Mulund and Parksite police stations rushed to the scene and, with the help of bystanders, lifted the bus to rescue trapped victims.

Given the gravity of the situation, police pressed their vans and jeeps into service to ferry the injured to nearby hospitals. Hemrajsingh Rajput, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone VII), said, "The entire police force rose to the occasion and did an excellent job under extremely challenging circumstances," he said.

Senior Police Inspector Balasaheb Pawar of Bhandup police station said the rescue operation demanded instant decision-making. "There was no equipment, no crane had arrived, and the fire brigade was yet to reach. I decided to attempt the rescue using human force," Pawar said. "We gathered people, lifted the tilted bus, and pulled out those trapped beneath it."

Pawar added that the rescue was a collective effort and lauded the crucial assistance provided by local residents who stepped forward without hesitation. "With ambulances delayed, police vehicles were used to transport the injured. Some were taken to Rajawadi Hospital, while others were shifted to MT Agarwal Hospital," he said. After a while, the bus was moved with the help of the crane and the injured were taken to hospital in ambulances.

"People were returning from work, carrying backpacks and handbags, tired and overwhelmed by everything that had happened. But when it came to helping out, people rose to the occasion and did their utmost best," Rakesh Singhal, a local shopkeeper.