Pune man 'steals' bus, hits 40 vehicles, 9 dead and 30 injured

Pune: For a half hour, a bus in Pune lurched through the city's streets, hitting one vehicle after another and running into pedestrians. Nine people have died and nearly 30 injured. A total of 40 vehicles were mangled.

Santosh Mane, an employee of the state transport corporation, had a valid license and a master-key to public buses. He grabbed an empty one at the Swargate bus depot and hit the road, often driving on the wrong side of the street. Traffic marshals fired at the bus to force Mr Mane to stop.  According to some reports, the 30-year-old driver was eventually stopped by a college student who managed to overpower him. (Watch: How Pune driver went on the rampage)

Eyewitnesses say they flung schoolchildren out of his way as he steered maniacally through sections packed with morning commuters from 8.15 to 8.45 am.

"I go jogging every morning.  I saw a bus driver racing towards me and I managed to jump out of the way. This is my second birth. I thank God," said a man who survived Mr Rane's rampage. (Watch)

Mr Mane faces murder charges. Till as recently as yesterday, he drove a bus on official duty.