Mumbai:

Nine pedestrians were injured, three of them seriously, when a drunk passenger grabbed the steering wheel of a BEST bus during an argument with its driver on Sunday evening, an official said.

The driver of the bus lost control over the wheel due to the passenger’s action and the vehicle knocked down pedestrians, cars and two-wheelers in the city’s Lalbaugh area, the official said.

Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking is the transport wing of Mumbai civic body BMC.

According to the official from Kalachowki police station, an electric vehicle on Route 66 (from Ballard Pier in south Mumbai) was on its way to Rani Laxmibai Chow in Sion when the incident occurred.

A passenger, who was under the influence of alcohol, got into an argument with the driver. When the bus was near Ganesh Talkies in Lalbaugh, he suddenly grabbed the steering wheel, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

The bus hit two bikes and a car and knocked down many pedestrians, leaving nine persons injured. Three of them are in serious condition, he said.

All the injured have been admitted to different hospitals in the city.

Police have taken the drunk passenger into custody and further investigation is underway, the official added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)