A bus driver goes on a rampage killing 9

A bus driver in the western Indian city of Mumbai went on a deadly rampage where he killed at least nine people and injured dozens more. He smashed cars and crushed pedestrians in the deadly driving spree according to police.

Apparently the bus driver hijacked the bus in a depot and sped out into the busy streets in the city of Pune, at the time it was rush hour so there were lots of children heading to school and office employees who were on the way to work.

The commissioner of police for Pune, Meeran Borwankar, told local television: “He just went berserk. He went on ramming whatever vehicles were plying the road. Citizens came forward and literally threw children away from the road. He was in such a dangerous mood. Ultimately he was held (by police) but the damage has been tremendous.”

There were at least forty vehicles damaged by the rampage including damage auto-rickshaws and overturned cars. AFP was informed by an officer in the police control room that nine people had been killed and 27 injured.

A police officer who attended the scene but did not wish to be names said: “He was a nut-case, had completely lost his head. He caused a lot of damage. Most of the damage was to parked taxis, private vehicles, cycles and stalls,”

The crazed driver was identified by police as Santosh Mane and they believe he is a driver for a local bus operator.

According to police reports, the rampage began as Santosh left the depot, here he reportedly crushed two pedestrians. Santosh was only stopped when members of the public wrestled him from the controls half an hour later after he had rammed into another bus.

One witness said: “Whoever came in his way, he just rammed into them.”

Another witness also told NDTV television: “I was out jogging, there was a noise, I jumped immediately that is why I was saved. This is my second life, I would have been dead.”

Picture courtesy of James Cridland

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