MSRTC bus rams truck, runs over driver

PUNE: A truck driver died after a speeding bus of the state transport utility ran him over while he was changing the tyre of his vehicle on the Katraj-Dehu Road bypass in Baner around 3.30am on Wednesday.


The deceased has been identified as Ajay Singh (39) from Khed taluka. The owner of the truck, Sagar Pawar from Dighi, has lodged a complaint against the bus driver with the Hinjewadi police station. “We have booked the driver for negligent driving,” a police officer said.

The accused, Uddhav Nalawade (34) from Satara, was driving a Shivshahi bus — operated by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). “Nalawade sustained minor injuries in the accident. All passengers in the bus escaped unhurt,” the officer said.

The truck was on its way to Bengaluru from

Nashik

, while the bus was heading towards Satara from Borivali in Mumbai. “Singh had parked his truck on a bridge after he noticed that the left tyre in the front of his vehicle was punctured. Singh and his co-driver Pramod Yadav were changing the tyre when the speeding bus rammed into the stationary truck,” the officer said.

Singh was near the rear end of the truck and got stuck between the two vehicles. He sustained severe injuries on his stomach and head. “The residents of the area and the police rushed to the spot and called an ambulance immediately. Singh succumbed to the injuries around 5.30am,” the officer said.

According to Nalawade, he was driving the bus in the middle lane of the bypass.

“A car plying in front of the bus had suddenly slowed down. To avoid a crash, Nalawade turned into the left lane. Nalawade said he did not notice the stationary truck and rammed into the vehicle before he could apply the brakes,” the officer added.