Matunga, Sion police team up to lift stranded students from buses, bring them to safety; several school buses, along with countless other vehicles, were left stranded in thigh-high water near Matunga and Sion
A police official lifts a kid to safety amid thigh-high deep water in Matunga. PICS/Sudhakar Nadar
The rain came down hard on Mumbai Monday morning, flooding major stretches of the city and turning the daily school run into a frightening ordeal for many children and their families.
Several school buses, along with countless other vehicles, were left stranded in thigh-high water near Matunga and Sion. Among them was a Don Bosco School bus carrying six children, two female staff members, and the driver. For nearly an hour, the youngsters sat trapped inside as the water level rose outside. Another school bus from Powai was stranded minutes later on a waterlogged road.
The kids wait for their parents inside the Matunga police station
Help arrived not from disaster teams, but from the neighbourhood’s own guardians in uniform. Acting swiftly after being alerted, DCP Zone 4 R Ragasudha coordinated a joint rescue effort by officers from the Sion and Matunga police stations. Wading through swirling water, the policemen reached the buses, lifted the frightened children onto their shoulders, and carried them one by one to safety.
After the rescue, all the children were taken to the ‘child-friendly corner’ inside Matunga Police Station — a special room designed with toys, books, and bright murals to comfort minors in distress. The students sat safely inside this welcoming space, cared for by women police officers and offered biscuits until their parents arrived.
“We rescued seven students who are enrolled in Jr KG at Don Bosco. The police saw the bus enter a stretch of road that was flooded with rainwater up to four feet. We brought the children in, one by one, after the bus shut down,” said Rajendra Pawar, Senior PI, Matunga police station.
Later in the day, Commissioner of Police IPS Deven Bharati praised the officers, saying, “Appreciate the swift action taken by @MatungaPS today. Amid heavy rains, the team ensured the safe rescue of school children stranded near King’s Circle and reunited them with their parents. This presence of mind and dedication truly reflects the spirit of Mumbai Police,” he said via X.
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