Mane started the bus with a master key that all 250 drivers at the depot have, and drove out of the bus station. He rushed along Shankar Sheth Road, driving on the wrong side, and hit a vehicle near Hotel Seven Loves. Police havaldar Sharad Polekar, who saw the crash, called police control room at 8.02 am. Soon afterward, two officers on a bike were on the tail of the runaway bus.

Mane kept driving at a very high speed, frequently on the wrong side for about 15 km, via Swargate, Golibar Maidan, Bhavani Peth, Gultekdi, Maharashi Nagar, Satara Road, Mitramandal Chowk, Sarasbaug and Sinhagad Road, knocking down several barricades, pedestrians, two-wheelers and cars. He ignored 10 rounds fired at the bus by police naik Deepak Kakade.

Mane was finally forced to slow down after two cars that he hit on Sinhagad Road near Sarasbaug ahead of Neelayam overbridge stopped in his way. Among those who jumped in and overpowered Mane was Sharif Ibrahim Kutti, a third year BCA student of Poona College, who chased the bus on his bike from Golibar Maidan.

Mane was taken into custody and booked under IPC Sections 379 (theft), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 and 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), and sections of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

"We fired at the bus but the driver did not stop. It was a dangerous chase, he was taking sharp turns and driving on the wrong side," Naik Kakade said.

Police Commissioner Meeran Borwankar said, "We believe Mane committed the act in full consciousness and hence we are invoking Section 302 (murder) against him. Investigation is on to know what made him drive the bus which he was not supposed to.

"We came to know that every bus driver is given a master key. Mane used the master key for starting the bus. He then went berserk and even dashed the barricades put up by the police at various locations," she said.

... contd.

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