Mumbai bus crash: Kin allege gold earrings stolen from victim's body
Seven people were killed in the BEST bus crash in Mumbai's Kurla West area on Monday night.
Family members of Mumbai resident Kaneez Ansari, who was among the seven persons killed in the BEST bus crash, on Tuesday alleged gold earrings were missing from her body after she was shifted to civic-run Bhabha Hospital in Kurla.
They also claimed when her body was being taken to Rajawadi Hospital, another municipal medical facility, for a post-mortem they were asked to pay for the coffin, medicines as well as ambulance.
"We gave ₹900 for ambulance. We did not get any facility," said one of the relatives. An out of control bus of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking rammed into pedestrians and vehicles on the SG Barve Road in Kurla (West) on Monday night, killing seven persons and injuring 42 others.
Abid Sheikh, son-in-law of Kaneez Ansari (55), described the horrific accident and how it snuffed out her life. "My mother-in-law worked as an aayah (attendant) in Desai Hospital in front of the Anjum Islam School. She used to usually leave home for her workplace at around 8 pm, but on Monday she left at around 9 pm.
"She was standing outside Desai Hospital when suddenly a bus dashed her. She was stuck between a vehicle and the BEST bus. We got a call from her mobile phone someone asking us to immediately rush to Bhabha Hospital," Sheikh said. When Kaneez Ansari was brought to the civic-run hospital, her gold earrings were intact, he said.
"However, when we saw the body for a second time in the hospital afterwards, her earrings were missing. We told top officials as well as the dean of the hospital about it, but they asked us to wait till panchnama (a verification and assessment exercise) was done," Sheikh said. Kaneez Ansari, a resident of Kurla (West), was brought dead to Bhabha Hospital.
Medical Superintendent of Bhabha Hospital Padmashree Ahire said “Family members of Kaneez Ansari have brought to our notice an incident (of theft of ornaments from her body). We are verifying CCTV footage of the hospital to ascertain the facts and will take appropriate action in the matter.” Kaneez Ansari, who is survived by two sons, was the only earning person in her family. She lost her husband long back.
Her family members were not satisfied with the compensation for the bus accident victims announced by the Maharashtra government.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced a financial assistance of ₹5 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased from the CM's Relief Fund.
Another relative of Kaneez Ansari, Sameer Ansari, said BEST drivers often steer buses in a very rash manner. "Many times we have complained against such bus drivers, but nothing has been done...it reflects failure of the government," he said.
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