As Mumbai police searched for 'missing' guard, he was sleeping at home

05 April,2017 11:20 AM IST |   |  Suraj Ojha

A security guard, who kept the police and fire brigade on vigil through the night after he fell into the sea, had apparently been sleeping at his home all the while, investigations have revealed

As Mumbai police searched for 'missing' guard, he was sleeping at home


On March 29, Rahim Shaikh and Sanjay Shukla got into an argument at the Bandra reclamation garden. Laxman Pandey, who was with the duo, tried to intervene. Things got ugly when Shaikh pushed Shukla into the sea. Pandey and Shaikh then sought the help of the police and fire brigade, who failed to locate him. The next day, Shukla's wife told Pandey that he was safe and sleeping at home. Illustration/ Uday Mohite

A security guard, who kept the police and fire brigade on vigil through the night after he fell into the sea, had apparently been sleeping at his home all the while, investigations have revealed.

Last week, high drama unfolded at Bandra's reclamation garden after two private security guards, Sanjay Shukla and Rahim Shaikh, got into an argument, with the latter pushing the other into the sea. Despite efforts of the police and fire brigade, Shukla could not be traced, and cops feared that he had drowned. However, it turns out that Shaikh had managed to find his way out, and had gone back home.

ALSO READ: Mumbai Police yet to solve curious case of the missing security guard


A security guard points to the spot where security supervisor Sanjay Shukla of Bandra Reclamation garden was last seen. Pic/ Satej Shinde

The incident took place in the early hours of March 29. Shaikh, who formerly worked as a guard at the Bandra reclamation garden, had gone for drinks with his senior Shukla, a security supervisor at a local bar. Shukla's friend Laxman Pandey had tagged along.

After the trio got drunk, they headed to the garden. On March 30, mid-day had reported that Shaikh had been removed from the job and was upset about it. "When he reached the garden, he picked up a fight with Shukla. Pandey was trying to calm both of them, when Shaikh, in a fit of rage, pushed Shukla into the sea. Unable to keep balance, Shaikh also fell along with him," another security guard had said.

Pandey, who was also drunk, managed to rescue Shaikh, but couldn't local Shukla. Fearing that he had drowned, he then called the police control room.

After the police were informed, a team from Bandra police station and Fire Brigade officials reached the site to carry out rescue operations. They, however, couldn't locate him the entire night.

The next day, Pandey called up Shukla's wife to check whether she knew about his whereabouts. He then learnt that Shukla had managed to find his way back home. Pandey then informed the cops, who immediately wrapped up the search operations. "Incidentally, Shukla had managed to hold on to a rock and swim ashore. He had seen Pandey and Shaikh look for him, but because he was angry, he decided to teach them a lesson. He then went home and fell asleep," an official from Bandra police station said.

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