In a shocking incident near Dharavi's Pila Bangla on Thursday night, a BEST bus conductor was attacked with a knife by a passenger, who then robbed him of the fare collection. The severely injured bus conductor was immediately rushed to Sion Hospital for treatment. The Dharavi Police have arrested the accused, spreading fear among BEST bus operators.
According to information received from the Dharavi Police, the attacker has been identified as Shahbaz Khan, a notorious criminal from the Dharavi area, with a serious criminal record in Dharavi and nearby police stations. As per the police, the incident occurred around 9:30 PM on Thursday when Bus No. 7 was en route from Pydhonie to Vikhroli Agar. When the bus reached Pila Bangla in Dharavi, an unidentified youth, believed to be between 22 and 25 years old, boarded the bus. The youth tried to snatch the fare collection bag from the bus conductor, Ashok Dagle (44). When Dagle resisted, the youth pulled out a knife and stabbed him, then fled with the conductor’s mobile phone.
Ashok Dagle, who was severely injured in the attack, was immediately taken to Sion Hospital for treatment. The Dharavi Police recorded Dagle's statement and registered a case of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. With the help of CCTV footage and local informants, the police identified the attacker and arrested Shahbaz Khan from the Dharavi area along with the weapon.
This incident has caused a wave of fear among BEST bus operators, raising concern about their safety.