The incident led to protests by ST bus drivers. The police has registered an ADR and is probing the circumstances related to the death

Mumbai: A state transport bus driver died in Bhiwandi early on Thursday after suffering a heart attack, hours after he had been allegedly assaulted by auto-rickshaw drivers in course of a brawl that erupted over the passing through a street. After getting assaulted by the auto-drivers at around 11.30 pm on Wednesday, the driver, Prabhakar Gaikwad, had visited a police station to register a complaint but collapsed on the spot. He was taken to a hospital for treatment where he passed away.

The incident led to protests by ST bus drivers. The police has registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and is probing the circumstances related to the death. Bhiwandi (rural) police’s DCP Manoj Patil, when contacted by The Asian Age, said, “When the brawl occurred near the ST bus stand, a police constable posted there had intervened to break that. The constable had asked the deceased to register a complaint with the police.” DCP Patil said, “The post-mortem has revealed he died due to heart attack, as a result of which we have registered an ADR.” DCP Patil said, “Still, if any relative of the deceased comes forward to register a complaint with us then we will take further action.”

Another police source told The Asian Age, “The deceased was a driver with the state transport for the last 10 years. He had just returned from Thane to Bhiwandi depot around 11.30 pm on Wednesday.” The source said, “While driving the bus into Bhiwandi depot, an auto driver came across him because of which Gaikwad applied urgent break after which caused a scratch on the auto. Gaikwad got angry as the auto wasn’t driving further.” The source said, “So he asked auto driver to give way or keep the rickshaw aside, but this conversation resulted in a heated argument between the two.

Sources said, “Auto driver dragged Gaikwad out of the bus and started hitting him badly, some other auto drivers too join him to beat the Bus driver. After hearing noises, workers of depot ran towards the gate and called the police. Two constables from Bhiwandi Police station arrived at the spot.” Sources also revealed that friends of Gaikwad alleged that he died due to internal injury and shock when cops didn’t registered the complaint and tried to settle down the matter.