Saki Naka daily wager dies after falling into open manhole
A 55-year-old daily wager died on Thursday after falling into an open, unbarricaded manhole while walking to work in Saki Naka, Mumbai. The incident has sparked intense grief and anger from the victim's family, who accused municipal authorities of negligence.
The victim, Aslam Shaikh, lived in Shankarshet chawl at Yadav Nagar in Saki Naka and worked loading materials onto trucks on nearby Khairani Road. According to eyewitnesses, the manhole had been left open and unbarricaded by workers who had gone on a tea break. The road was not flooded and the manhole was visible, but Shaikh was reportedly talking on his mobile phone and did not notice the open drain.
Tahir Hashmi, a local shopkeeper, said a fellow pedestrian tried to grab Shaikh as he fell, but only managed to snag his umbrella. Shaikh's brother, Rashid, rushed to the spot after hearing about the commotion. He recognized his brother's slippers and umbrella near the open manhole and later confirmed the incident by checking CCTV footage from nearby shops.
The local fire brigade conducted a search and eventually located Shaikh's body about 100 metres away in the drain. First responder Mahendra Bhanushali noted that rescuers were initially unsure of the identity of the body, but Shaikh's wife, Anjum, identified him by his shirt.
At Rajawadi Hospital, where the body was taken for a post-mortem examination, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde met with the grieving family. The mayor offered the family ₹10 lakh in compensation, which was met with resentment.
Shaikh's sister-in-law, Shaista Shaikh, questioned the mayor at the hospital, asking why such tragedies only happen to the poor and not to politicians. Shaikh's brother, Salim, retorted to the compensation offer, stating that his brother was priceless to them.
Shaikh was the eldest of four brothers, all of whom worked as daily wagers. He is survived by his wife, his daughter, and his 24-year-old son, Ali, who recently started working at a back office in Marol.
