Gajanan Shejwal, the driver who was arrested in connection with the case.

A traffic policeman died on Saturday of injuries he sustained when a drunk TMT bus driver allegedly rammed into him the previous night. Four more people were injured in the accident and have been admitted to the civil hospital. The Thane police has arrested the accused driver.

According to police officials, Chandrakant Waman Salunke, 44, was manning the traffic near Gaimukh chowk area of Thane-Ghodbunder Road on Friday. Around 11 pm a speeding TMT bus driven by Gajanan Shejwal, 34, ran over him when he tried to stop it.

Shejwal was arrested in connection with the incident and, according to officials, he had consumed alcohol over the legal limit. Juber Tamboli, 30, a commuter who travelled in the bus and later witnessed the incident, said, “The bus driver was driving the bus dangerously and at a great speed. We asked the conductor to make him stop the bus but Shejwal did not listen to him too. We made him stop the bus near Gaimukh Chauk and around five of us including the bus conductor got out of the bus. Then the bus driver went ahead speedily and rammed the bus into the traffic constable who tried to stop him.”

Deputy commissioner of police, V.B. Chandanshive, zone 5 said, “The policeman was immediately taken to the civil hospital for treatment but he was declared dead during his treatment. The driver of the TMT bus, Gajanan Shejwal has been arrested after being charged under sections 304A (Causing death by negligence), 279 (Rash driving or riding on a public way) and 337 (Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC and also sections 3 and 38 of the Motor Vehicle Act.”

Mr Chandanshive added that Salunke’s wife decided to donate her husband’s eyes as per his wish.