Mumbai: Contractor, workers booked after man dies in open manhole at Sakinaka

The spot where the incident occurred in Sakinaka, Andheri. (Pic/Ranjeet Jadhav)

Repair work on the water drainage was being carried out on Khairani Road after a pedestrian, namely Aslam Isak Shaikh (55), a resident of Yadav Nagar, Sakinaka, fell into the water drainage through an open manhole and died on Thursday, July 2.

The unfortunate incident prompted the police to register a case against the contractor and workers involved in the project.

According to the Mumbai Police, the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Sakinaka Police Station, where repair work on a water drainage line was underway on Khairani Road.

Police, while briefing about the incident, said that Shaikh accidentally fell into the water drainage through an open manhole at the worksite. He succumbed to the incident.

Following the tragedy, a complaint was lodged by an official from the L Ward of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Based on the complaint, Sakinaka Police have registered an offence against the contractor and the workers engaged in the drainage repair work.

Mumbai police, while expressing views about the further investigation, said, "In this regard, based on the complaint lodged by a BMC officer from L Ward, an offence has been registered at Sakinaka Police Station against the contractor and the workers engaged in the repair work. Further investigation is in progress."

The incident comes amid heavy monsoon rains in Mumbai, which have increased the risk posed by open manholes and ongoing civic works across the city.