Nagpur: The death of a promising 34-year-old engineer, who succumbed to injuries sustained after being hit by a Sanjay Travels bus, has once again brought the safety record of the private bus operator under an uncomfortable spotlight. The victim, Sarvesh Kashilekar, a former engineering topper from the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), breathed his last on Monday while undergoing treatment, turning what was initially reported as a road accident into a case raising serious questions about the accountability of private bus operators.
The tragedy has triggered renewed scrutiny of Sanjay Travels, particularly as two other serious accidents involving buses belonging to the same operator have been reported over the past five months. The recurring incidents have raised questions about the company’s vehicle maintenance standards, driver supervision and the effectiveness of transport authorities in enforcing road safety regulations.
The fatal accident occurred around 10.30 am on October 26 on RPTS Road in the Bajaj Nagar area, near Asli Coffee Cafe. Kashilekar was cycling along the road when a Sanjay Travels bus bearing Madhya Pradesh registration number MP-20-ZV-0651 allegedly rammed into him with considerable force.
He sustained critical injuries and was initially rushed to Orange City Hospital. He was subsequently shifted to Swasthayam Hospital for advanced treatment. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries on Monday, leaving his family devastated.
Adding to the seriousness of the incident, the bus driver allegedly fled the spot after the collision. Bajaj Nagar Police have invoked Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in the case.
Not an isolated incident: Two more serious crashes
What makes the latest tragedy particularly disturbing is that it is not the first serious accident involving a Sanjay Travels bus in recent months.
On September 9, a bus belonging to the same operator collided with a two-wheeler near Vaishnodevi Square in Nagpur, leaving a woman and her four-year-old daughter seriously injured.
Earlier, on June 4, a Sanjay Travels bus travelling from Nagpur to Pune met with an accident on the Samruddhi Expressway after colliding with a tipper truck. As many as 19 passengers were injured, including four whose condition was reported to be critical.
Three serious accidents within a span of five months, including one claiming a young engineer’s life, have put the company’s safety practices under the scanner. While the circumstances of the three accidents may differ, their cumulative impact warrants a thorough examination of the operator’s safety compliance and the regulatory oversight governing its fleet.
Who is checking the fitness of these buses?
The latest fatality raises questions that cannot be brushed aside as routine road mishaps. Are the buses undergoing mandatory periodic mechanical inspections? Are their braking systems, tyres, steering mechanisms and other critical components being checked properly? Are drivers adequately trained, medically fit and sufficiently rested before undertaking long-distance journeys? Are duty hours being monitored to prevent fatigue-related accidents?
Equally important is the question of whether transport authorities are conducting meaningful inspections of private operators or merely relying on fitness certificates and paperwork.
The Madhya Pradesh registration of the bus involved in the fatal accident also raises questions about inter-State commercial vehicle monitoring and the enforcement of safety standards by the concerned transport authorities.
Will accountability stop at the driver?
The death of Kashilekar has robbed a family of a promising young member and raised a larger public safety concern. An accomplished engineering graduate, his life was cut short in a road accident that demands more than a routine police investigation.
The investigation must establish the exact circumstances of the collision, the driver’s conduct, the mechanical condition of the bus and whether any violation of transport safety regulations contributed to the tragedy.
The authorities should also examine the two earlier accidents involving Sanjay Travels buses and determine whether any common deficiencies in vehicle maintenance, driver management or safety compliance emerge.
Most importantly, responsibility must not automatically end with the driver if the investigation reveals lapses at the operator’s management or maintenance level.
Nagpur cannot afford to wait for another fatal accident before asking these questions. With private buses operating daily on crowded city roads and major highways, public safety cannot be reduced to a matter of commercial convenience. The death of a young engineer must serve as a wake-up call for the transport department and the police to establish accountability and ensure that passenger and road-user safety is not compromised.
