Mumbai: A 22-year-old man riding pillion on a bike died, while his friend, who was riding the vehicle, suffered injuries in a road crash involving a BEST bus at Powai early on Friday. The two were returning from a visit to Lalbaugcha Raja mandal. Powai police have registered a case of rash driving and negligence against the bus driver.BEST officials claimed the accident was primarily caused by a pothole. “Around 6.55am, the motorcyclist, Swapnil Vishwakarma (23), tried to avoid a pothole near IIT-Powai’s gate, close to a petrol pump. He lost his balance and the duo fell. Vishwakarma fell on the left side and suffered serious injuries to his legs. Devesh Patel, who was seated pillion, fell to the right and came under the rear wheel of the BEST bus. He suffered serious head injuries. He was rushed to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, where doctors pronounced him dead before admission. Vishwakarma was taken by the bus driver to a private hospital in Powai,” said an official. Police, however, said the crash was a result of the bike getting caught between the bus and a divider. The bus driver, Uttam Kumkar (57), has been issued a notice by police as per the law. BEST officials said the bus was a wet lease one, which was headed for Bandra West bus station from Vikhroli depot. Police are viewing CCTV footage to establish the exact sequence of events that led to the crash.
