Four people were killed and two seriously injured when the brakes of an allegedly speeding BMTC bus failed, causing it to cross the median and into oncoming traffic, mowing down five vehicles in a catastrophic accident.

The incident reportedly took place around 6.45 pm. As it speedily came up to an intersection, the bus’s brake suddenly failed, propelling the car over the median and ultimately causing the calamitous collision. A rickshaw with three people on board, three two-wheelers and a bicycle, which were all travelling in the opposite direction of the caravan, were crushed under the wheels of the bus.

Three people were instantly killed, while another reportedly succumbed to injuries en route to the hospital. Over 24 hours after the accident, the bus driver was arrested by the East division traffic police. “He has been identified as Murugendra Srishaila, 37, a resident of Byrathi Bande. He worked at the 23rd depot and has been a BMTC bus driver for many years. The driver contends that the brakes of the bus failed. However, these claims are yet to be verified,” deputy commissioner of police (traffic-east) M N Babu Rajendra Prasad told sources.

Meanwhile, highly-placed sources said that the steering rod of the bus was cut, indicating that the bus driver may have struggled to turn the bus in the right direction. Officials suspect the bus driver may have lost control of the vehicle when he tried to avoid the vehicle trying to overtake from the left.