Sakinaka resident dies after falling into open manhole during heavy rain

A 55-year-old man died after falling into an open manhole on Khairani Road near Sanman Hotel in Sakinaka, Mumbai, during heavy rainfall. The tragic incident has sparked strong criticism from former Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar, who condemned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and a private contractor for safety negligence.

The victim, identified as Aslam Isak Shaikh, was a resident of Yadav Nagar in Sakinaka. According to officials, Shaikh was walking along the road and talking on his mobile phone when he accidentally stepped into the open manhole. He was immediately swept away by the strong flow of rainwater inside the drainage system.

The drainage line had been left open due to ongoing repair work being conducted in the area by a private contractor.

Following the accident, a massive search and rescue operation was launched at the site. Teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the local police, 108 ambulance services, and civic authorities rushed to the spot to search for Shaikh. After an extensive search operation lasting several hours amid the heavy rainfall, officials recovered Shaikh's body from the drainage line and confirmed his death.

Former Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar visited the incident spot to assess the situation. Speaking to reporters, she described the incident as highly unfortunate and tragic.

Pednekar slammed the BMC administration, raising questions over the lack of basic safety protocols. She questioned why there were no interlocks installed on the drainage grilles to prevent such accidents. She also criticized the local ward officer for failing to ensure that these interlocks were properly installed on the drains.

"How can a contractor neglect this?" Pednekar asked. She further questioned the complete absence of adequate safety measures around the open manhole during the repair work, accusing the civic administration of playing with the lives of Mumbaikars.