In the aftermath of the accident involving the BEST bus in Kurla on Monday night, lawyer Ashif Husain, who was among the first to shield the bus driver and conductor from an enraged mob, has refuted claims circulating on social media that the driver was intoxicated. “He was breathing normally and did not smell of alcohol. He was clean, but shattered and visibly struck by the incident. All the rumours on social media that the driver was drunk are incorrect,” Husain told mid-day.

Husain recounted the chaotic scene, explaining how he intervened to save the driver, Sanjay More, from potential harm. “The mob was angry and would have hurt him badly. We pulled him away from the crowd, dragged him to safety, and handed him over to the police. The police vehicle was some distance away, so we hurriedly signalled them to come closer to where we were and ensured he was picked up,” he said.