Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Jul 3: A 55-year-old man died after falling into an open manhole in Mumbai's Sakinaka area during heavy rains, prompting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to suspend four civic officials over alleged negligence.

The deceased, identified as Aslam Isak Shaikh, a daily wage labourer, was walking along Khairani Road while speaking on his mobile phone at around 11 am on Thursday when the incident occurred.

According to civic officials, BMC-appointed workers were in the process of installing a protective grille around the open manhole. As Shaikh approached the spot, the workers reportedly shouted to warn him, but he lost his balance and fell into the manhole.

The workers immediately lowered a ladder in an attempt to rescue him but were only able to retrieve his umbrella and slippers. Strong water flow inside the drain hampered rescue efforts and made it difficult to trace his whereabouts.

Fire brigade personnel later launched a rescue operation by entering the sewer line through a nearby manhole while wearing breathing apparatus. Shaikh was eventually pulled out and taken to Rajawadi Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Following the incident, BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide ordered the suspension of four civic officials, including an assistant commissioner and three engineers.

The tragedy comes just two days after an 11-year-old schoolboy was killed when a tree collapsed on him in Mumbai's Chembur area during the ongoing monsoon. It also follows another recent incident in which a BMC employee fell waist-deep into an open drain during an inspection of a flooded area at King Circle, highlighting concerns over civic safety during the rainy season.