Pune, Jan 25 (IANS) At least nine people were killed, 27 injured and 30-40 vehicles damaged when a mentally disturbed staffer of the government bus service hijacked a state transport bus and sped blindly through the streets here Wednesday, police said.

“So far, nine pedestrians, including two children have been killed in the incident and around 40 injured,” an official told IANS.

The condition of five of the injured, being treated at the Sassoon Hospital, is reported to be critical, he added.

Santosh Mane, a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) driver, was arrested from the Nilayam Talkies area, around 25 km from the Swargate ST Depot, where the bus was hijacked, said the official.

“Santosh was on duty and worked according to his duty chart till yesterday. We have no idea why he took charge of the Satara bus. He went from Swargate to Pulgate area ramming vehicles on the road and knocking people down,” Pune police Commissioner Meeran Borwankar told reporters.

“Some citizens came forward to save children. Police followed him all through and barricaded the roads. An eyewitness Sharif Ibrahim Kutty helped police open the door of the bus following which he was caught,” she added.

Eyewitnesses at various spots relived the horror stating that many were caught off guard as he was driving on the wrong side of the road.

“When I saw him, he first knocked down a woman, then a man. I went after him and saw that the police was also following him. Policemen fired at the bus and tried to puncture the bus tyres. Two policemen were knocked down during the chase,” said an eyewitness.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has assured financial support to the families of the victims.

Assistant (Traffic) Police Inspector Pundalik Dhaigude who followed Mane for nearly 30 minutes said that he looked very dangerous.

“His face showed stress and aggression. We tried to stop him and followed him, but he drove with maddening speed on the wrong side making it difficult for us to keep up with him,” he said.

According to another eyewitness: “Two policemen finally caught up with him and clambered near the door and tried to open it.”

The incident happened before 8 a.m. when Mane climbed into an empty Pune-Satara-Pune bus at the Swargate ST Depot and zoomed off, driving at a high speed on the wrong side of the road, taking the oncoming vehicles and people unaware.

According to police, Mane’s high-speed drive lasted nearly 25 km during which he rammed stationary and moving vehicles en route and ran over pedestrians before being nabbed by police at the Dandekar Flyover.

Mane had hit an electric pole first and then a divider which facilitated the police in getting hold of him, said an official.

Fire brigade officials and local residents helped police bring the vehicle under control and move the injured to nearby hospitals.