3 min readMumbaiJul 1, 2026 12:30 AM IST
On Tuesday afternoon, Juhi Srivastava was waiting for her son Vihaan to return home from school. When the school bus did not arrive even after more than 30 minutes, anxiety began to set in. It was only after 3 pm that she received a call from first responders informing her that Vihaan was among the 12 children trapped inside a school bus after a peepal tree fell on it in Chembur’s Subhash Nagar locality.
“The incident took place 10 minutes away from Vihan’s residence. The bus was supposed to drop Vihan next and in the meantime, tragedy struck,” Tukaram Kate, a family friend and neighbour of the Srivastavas, told The Indian Express on Tuesday.
Vihaan, the only child of Juhi and Gaurav Srivastava, was a Class VI student at Universal High School, Chembur. Neighbours remember him as a lively child who loved playing football and spending time in the society’s play area.
“Like every other kid, Vihaan enjoyed playing in the society’s play area and gardens. He loved playing football and was also good in his academics. He was very close to my three year old grandson. Vihaan was the only child to his parents and they are devastated at this moment,” Kate said.
Juhi works at Tata Cancer Hospital, while Gaurav is employed with a government-owned petroleum company. The family lives in Kukreja Residency in Chembur (West) and had moved there from Delhi three years ago.
Following the incident, Vihaan was rescued from the bus and taken to Zen Hospital, where he was declared dead. His body was later shifted to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar for a post-mortem examination before being brought home. The last rites will be conducted on Wednesday morning after his grandparents arrive from Delhi.
Eleven other children sustained injuries in the incident. Ten-year-old Krisha Rai, who was seated in the second-last row of the bus, was rescued by a local security guard who broke a window and pulled her out.
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“Krisha sustained some bruises and cuts in her leg. Physically she wasn’t hurt as much but the incident has psychologically affected her. We are trying to keep her occupied and distracted for the time being,” Krisha’s father, Saurav, told The Indian Express.
Krisha was also Vihaan’s classmate. According to her father, the two knew each other. However, the family is trying to keep her away from discussions about the incident to help her cope with the trauma.
According to first responders and eyewitnesses, most of the children sustained injuries when the tree collapsed onto the roof of the bus. Children seated towards the rear suffered the most serious injuries and remained trapped for the longest duration.
An eight-year-old girl, whose parents requested anonymity, also suffered an injury to her shoulder. Her parents said the psychological impact of the incident has been more difficult to deal with than the physical injuries.
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“My daughter knew Vihaan. We live in the same neighborhood and they go to school in the same bus. Witnessing such a tragedy at a young age leaves a traumatic imprint on their mind. We will keep her under observation after that, we may consult a psychologist if required,” the parent said.
