MUMBAI: Afreen Shah, a 20-year-old returning from her first day at a new job, was among the victims of the BEST bus crash that claimed seven lives and injured 42 people on SG Barve Road in Kurla (West) on Monday night.
Abdul Salim Shah’s final conversation with his daughter occurred when she was attempting to secure an autorickshaw to return home after completing her first day at a private company.
Shah suggested that Afreen should walk towards the highway to find an autorickshaw. This proved to be their last exchange.
“It was her first day at work at a new company. After work, she reached Kurla railway station, from where she called me at 9.09pm saying she was not getting an autorickshaw for Shivaji Nagar,” he said.
“I told her to walk towards the highway and get an autorickshaw. But, at 9.54pm, I got a call from my daughter’s phone, and it was a staffer from Bhabha Hospital,” Shah said.
Shah hurried to the hospital, where he found Afreen’s body in the casualty ward.
“It was her first day at work, and now I will never get my daughter back,” the distraught father said.
Shah said the government should take some steps to prevent such accidents.
“People in the area are unable to walk on the road. The situation has not changed for so many years. The place is congested because of illegal parking, hawking, metro rail work and other illegal activities. People are unable to walk, and many have lost their dear ones. The government should take strict action on these issues,” he said.
The police have arrested the bus driver and charged him with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
(With inputs from agency)