Visually Impaired Man Dies After Falling Into Open Manhole on Khairani Road
A 55-year-old daily wage worker died on Thursday morning after falling into an open manhole on Khairani road, near Yadav Nagar and the Saki Naka post office. The victim, Aslam Isak Shaikh, lost his balance around 10 am and was swept away by strong water currents inside the manhole where civic labourers were working.
Shaikh was walking home to Yadav Nagar from his workplace when the incident occurred. As he approached a bend on Khairani road, he lost his balance and fell into the open manhole, where civic labourers were in the process of installing protective grills. Although the labourers immediately lowered a ladder to rescue him, the powerful water currents swept him away, leaving only his umbrella and slippers behind on the road.
About half an hour later, Shaikh's brother-in-law, Rashid, was riding his two-wheeler along Khairani road when he noticed a crowd gathered at the site. Upon stopping, he was informed that a man had fallen into the manhole. Rashid recognized the umbrella and slippers lying nearby and contacted the family.
Shaikh's brother, Akbar, 40, stated that the family received the call around 10:45 am and rushed to the spot. The family confirmed the incident after a manager of a nearby hotel showed them CCTV footage of the accident. Shaikh’s body was recovered three hours after he fell.
Shaikh was the sole breadearner of his family, earning an average of Rs 500 to Rs 600 a day by manually transporting construction raw materials and bricks. He is survived by his wife Anjum, his daughter Shabnam, and his son Ali Akbar, who live in a one-room shanty in Yadav Nagar.
According to Akbar, Shaikh was visually impaired and wore high-power lenses, which may have contributed to him not noticing the open manhole. Akbar criticized the local authorities for not barricading the open manhole from all four sides.
Following the incident, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the family. Shaista Shaikh, the victim's sister, expressed that no amount of compensation could bring her brother back.
