A day after an 11-year-old boy was killed in a tree collapse on a school bus in Mumbai’s Chembur
July 1, 2026: A day after an 11-year-old boy was killed when a roadside tree fell on a school bus in Mumbai’s Chembur area, Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat defended the state government’s response to the tragedy. Speaking to the media, the Shiv Sena leader said the government would make a statement in the Assembly and that the municipal corporation had been directed to take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Responding to opposition criticism over the government’s claims of completing pre-monsoon safety measures, Shirsat said such incidents cannot always be predicted. He remarked that events like trees falling or lightning strikes are beyond human control, adding that it is not possible to know in advance which tree is about to collapse.
The accident took place on Tuesday when a nearly 70-year-old roadside tree was uprooted and crashed onto a school bus operated by Make Force, carrying students of Universal High School in Chembur. The incident claimed the life of 11-year-old Vihan Shrivastav. Five other students were rescued from the bus, including one who sustained critical injuries, while four others suffered minor injuries. All the injured children were admitted to Zen Hospital for treatment.