Mumbai: A 55-year-old priest lost his life in a tragic road accident involving a BEST bus on the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) in Kurla, Mumbai, on Thursday afternoon. The deceased has been identified as Trivikram Shripad Acharya, a resident of Nehru Nagar in Kurla West.

According to police, the incident occurred around 12:30 pm when an electric bus operated by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) allegedly rammed into his scooter. Following the collision, Acharya fell onto the road, after which the rear wheels of the bus reportedly ran over him, leading to his death on the spot.

The Kurla Police have taken the bus driver, Kamlesh Kumar Baranlal (42), into custody and booked him for causing death by negligence. Officials confirmed that prima facie there is no evidence of drunk driving, though the driver underwent a medical examination as part of standard procedure. A formal case is being registered and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events.

In a separate incident earlier the same day, a major accident was narrowly averted in Prabhadevi when another BEST bus lost control and mounted a road divider while trying to avoid a collision.

The incident took place around 7:49 am near the Bombay Dyeing bus stop. The bus, operating on route number 167, was travelling from P.K. Kurne Chowk towards Prabhadevi railway station when a car coming from the opposite direction suddenly took a U-turn. In an attempt to avoid a crash, the driver applied emergency brakes, causing the vehicle to veer off and climb onto the divider, where it got stuck.

Passengers on board experienced moments of panic due to the sudden jolt, but no injuries were reported among commuters or pedestrians. Authorities later managed to bring the situation under control and clear the obstruction.

Mumbai: Morning rush hour in Mumbai was hit by disruptions on Friday, March 27, after a technical glitch at Borivali station delayed several suburban train services on the Western Railway line.

The delays, particularly on trains heading towards Churchgate, left office-goers and daily commuters stranded and frustrated. Services were reportedly running 10 to 20 minutes behind schedule, causing overcrowding at multiple stations during peak hours.

Several commuters took to X to express their frustration. A passenger travelling from Bhayandar highlighted recurring delays, stating that the fast local (No. 90186) scheduled to depart at 7:40 am arrived late, reaching Bandra nearly an hour later. Others pointed out that delays of 10–15 minutes have become routine, even after infrastructure upgrades like the addition of the fifth and sixth railway lines.

Responding to complaints on social media platform X, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Mumbai Division acknowledged the issue. “Dear passenger, your train got delayed due to technical failure at Borivali station. Inconvenience caused is deeply regretted,” the official said.

The ripple effect of the disruption was felt across the network, with overcrowding intensifying at key stations. Many passengers complained about missing multiple trains due to congestion and delays.

Meanwhile, commuters on the Central Railway line also reported issues, including last-minute cancellations and severe overcrowding. One user sarcastically described the situation as a “perfect start to the day,” citing packed trains and difficulties boarding both AC and non-AC services amid rising temperatures.

“What a great start to the day thanks to #CentralRailway. Train cancelled last minute. AC train = human stampede. Non-AC train = even worse. Had to leave 2 trains. And the #Mumbai heat just adding to the experience. 10/10 morning. Would totally recommend,” wrote a user, Shefali, in a frustrating post this morning.

Railway authorities have not yet provided a detailed explanation of the technical fault or a timeline for full normalisation of services. However, efforts were reportedly underway to restore schedules and minimise inconvenience.

Thane: A youth in the Mumbra area of Thane district was detained after a fake video claiming an imminent lockdown triggered panic among residents. The youth recorded and circulated a video on social media, falsely claiming that a strict lockdown would be imposed in the area from midnight. The clip quickly went viral, leading to fear and confusion among locals.

In the viral video, the youth can be seen saying, “Ek khabar aayi hai abhi, 12 baje se lockdown hai (I’ve just got news, there’s a lockdown from 12 o’clock). He also claimed that the alleged lockdown would be imposed for an indefinite period due to the ongoing situation. He further suggested the public to stock up their homes with essential goods and medicines to avoid trouble.

As the rumour spread, several residents reportedly stepped out of their homes to purchase essential goods, fearing sudden restrictions. The rumour created a sense of urgency, with people calling each other to verify the claim, which only accelerated its circulation.

Taking serious note of the situation, the Mumbra Police launched an investigation and traced the accused. He was taken into custody, where he admitted to creating and sharing the video without verifying the information.

Police later made the youth publicly apologise for his actions and issued a strict warning against repeating such behaviour. “My name is Arham Uzair Azharuddin and I stay in Mumbra. The video that I made regarding the lockdown was completely fake news. There is no lockdown imposed in Mumbra. I apologise for spreading the rumour. Mumbra Police have made me understand my mistake,” he said with folded hands in the apology video.

Authorities emphasised that spreading unverified information can lead to unnecessary panic and disrupt public order. Officials have appealed to citizens to exercise caution while consuming and sharing content on social media.