Bus plunges into nullah, seven killed

DECEMBER 2: Seven persons were killed on the spot when the driver of a private bus (MMS-147) lost control and rammed into the barricade of the Temghar bridge off the National Highway-7 near Bhiwandi, plunging the vehicle fifty feet into a nullah below.

Driver Devassy Billa (34), seriously injured, has been admitted to a private nursing home in Thane. Among those who died on the spot were Mukesh Kumar Ravji Dhadani (25), Kalpesh Shah (30), Dr Jatin Parikh (30), Rashmi Mutkha (30), Richa Dhanji Patel (15), Jagita Kalpesh Shah (23) and another woman whose identity has still not been established. Meenal Shah and Bimal Navin Khajotia died on their way to the hospital.

Among those critical are Dhanji Patel, Dheeraj Patel, Narata Patel, Jayesh Devshi, Arvind Shah, Hira Prabhuranjan and one Ashok. While some are battling for their lives at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Bhiwandi, others have been shifted to private hospitals in Thane.

The nullah is about 50 feet deep and had about 25 feet water. “Six ofthem appear to have died due to drowning since the bodies show no signs of injury,” said DCP V N Jadhav.