A 55-year-old man died after allegedly being swept into an open manhole during heavy rainfall in Mumbai on Thursday, prompting fresh concerns over civic safety during the monsoon. The incident occurred around 12.30 pm on Khairani Road, a key stretch connecting the western suburbs of Andheri, Saki Naka and Jogeshwari with the central areas of Kurla and Ghatkopar. According to initial reports, the victim was talking on his mobile phone when he accidentally fell into the manhole.
The deceased has been identified as Aslam Esaf Shaikh. Witnesses alerted authorities after noticing that Shaikh had disappeared in the floodwaters. His umbrella and slippers were found near the spot, leading officials to suspect that he had been swept into the uncovered drain. A rescue operation involving the Mumbai Fire Brigade, Mumbai Police and the 108 emergency ambulance service was immediately launched to trace him.
Rescue teams searched the drainage network for nearly two hours before recovering Shaikh's body. He was taken to Rajawadi Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether the manhole had been left uncovered or inadequately barricaded despite the heavy rains that lashed the city.
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Reacting to the incident, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) would initiate legal action against the contractor responsible for the work at the site. He stated that the civic body intends to register a case holding the contractor responsible for "homicide," indicating that accountability would be fixed if negligence is established during the investigation.
The tragedy has once again brought the spotlight on Mumbai's monsoon preparedness and the risks posed by waterlogged roads and open drains during periods of intense rainfall. Civic authorities routinely advise residents to avoid venturing into heavily flooded areas, where submerged manholes and drains may not be visible, posing serious dangers to pedestrians and motorists alike.
The incident comes just two days after another rain-related tragedy in the city, when an 11-year-old boy was killed and four others were injured after a tree was uprooted and crashed onto a moving school bus in Mumbai's Chembur area. The back-to-back incidents have renewed concerns over public safety, infrastructure maintenance and disaster preparedness during the monsoon season, with calls for stricter inspections and preventive measures to avoid similar accidents in the future.
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