02 July,2026 03:04 PM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev Shivadekar
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar`s remarks came after a man allegedly died after falling into an open manhole in Mumbai`s Sakinaka on Thursday. File Pic
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Thursday said officials responsible for deaths caused by open manholes should face criminal charges under culpable homicide provisions, stating that departmental action alone was not sufficient.
Describing such incidents as a serious failure of civic responsibility, Narwekar said those responsible must be held personally accountable to prevent similar tragedies in future.
The Speaker directed the state government to present a detailed statement on the latest incident in the Assembly by Thursday evening.
Recalling a similar tragedy from a few years ago, Narwekar said a well-known doctor had lost his life after falling into an open manhole, stressing that repeated incidents reflected serious negligence.
Narwekar's remarks came after a man allegedly died after falling into an open manhole in Mumbai's Sakinaka on Thursday.
The deceased has been identified as Aslam Isak Shaikh (60), a resident of Yadav Nagar in Sakinaka.
According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), the incident was reported at 12.26 pm from Khairani Road near Sanman Hotel, close to SJ Studio in Sakinaka.
Officials said Shaikh accidentally fell into the open manhole while talking on his mobile phone. According to information received from police personnel at the spot, three private contractual workers had removed the manhole cover to carry out maintenance work when the incident occurred.
The incident sparked concern in the Assembly, with legislators demanding immediate action against those responsible.
The issue was raised by Mumbai BJP president and Andheri West MLA Ameet Satam, who sought strict action against the officials responsible for the alleged negligence.
Satam said strong accountability was essential to ensure such incidents are not repeated and urged the government to take immediate steps against those found responsible.
