Brake fails in school bus, pedestrian mowed down

Losing control of his vehicle due to brake failure, the driver slammed into a taxi that swerved and hit a pedestrian leading to fatal injuries

Sufferingu00a0from brake failure, a school bus driver swerved into a taxi at Opera House yesterday. Owing to the impact of the crash, the cab then rammed into a pedestrian, who later succumbed to his injuries.


Crash Course: Mustaq Siddiqui was arrested and then later let off on a
Rs 20,000 bail surety. Pic/Milind Karekar

Around 5 pm yesterday, Narendra Shah, a resident of Borivli, left his auto parts store at Opera House and was heading for Currey Road station to catch a train home when the incident occurred. "While Shah was on his way to the station, the school bus lost control and rammed into a taxi in a head-on collision, which in turn knocked Shah off his feet leading to his death," said a police officer from Gamdev police station.u00a0

The 40 students of St Columba School, Grant Road, who were being ferried home in the bus, escaped unhurt.
Mustaq Siddiqui, the driver of the bus, said he lost control because his brakes failed and then collided into the taxi that then collided, which then ran into Shah who was walking to the station.

Amol Tamke, assistant inspector, Gamdevi police station, said, "Shah suffered severe injuries to his head. He was rushed to Nair Hospital but died over there." The taxi driver Akhtar Khan suffered minor injuries.

Tamke also added that Siddiqui was arrested under Section 279 (rash driving), 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) and 427 (mischief causing damage) of the Indian Penal Code. He was produced at court and released on bail of Rs 20,000.