Sakinaka man dies after falling into open manhole, Deputy Mayor demands answers

A 55-year-old man died on Thursday morning after falling into an open manhole on Khairani Road near Sanman Hotel in Sakinaka, Mumbai. The victim, identified as Aslam Isak Shaikh, was swept away by a strong flow of rainwater, prompting a massive search operation and sparking sharp demands for accountability from municipal leadership.

According to the police, the drain had been left open due to ongoing repair work in the area. Shaikh was walking along the road and talking on the phone when he accidentally stepped into the uncovered manhole and was swept into the drainage system.

Following the incident, emergency teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the local police, 108 ambulance services, and civic authorities rushed to the Sakinaka site to launch a search and rescue operation. After an extensive search conducted over several hours amid heavy rainfall, rescue officials recovered Shaikh's body from the drainage line and confirmed his death.

The incident triggered immediate political fallout, with Mumbai Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi arriving at the spot to demand answers. Ghadi demanded an explanation from BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, stating that the municipal chief must answer for the tragic death.

"The contractor had no official orders... action will be taken against them," Ghadi told reporters at the scene. He added that instructions had been given to the administration for municipal employees and ward officers to conduct a full investigation, calling the accident "deeply unfortunate."

Ghadi also alleged administrative negligence, revealing that he had raised concerns about manhole safety prior to the accident. He stated that he had recently written a letter to BMC Commissioner Bhide pointing out that several contracts for placing safety barricades and guards around manholes had expired. Ghadi said he had requested an inquiry to issue new orders, but Bhide "did not take it seriously."