Maharashtra: Case registered against contractor, workers after man dies falling into manhole

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 3 : Police have registered a case against a contractor and workers engaged in drainage repair work after a 55-year-old man died after falling into an open manhole in Mumbai's Sakinaka area, officials said on Friday.
The incident occurred on Khairani Road under the jurisdiction of Sakinaka Police Station, where repair work on a drainage line was being carried out. The deceased was identified as Aslam Isak Shaikh, a resident of Yadav Nagar in Sakinaka. Police said further investigation is underway, police said.
Speaking to ANI, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Sana Malik questioned civic preparedness and alleged lapses in monsoon planning and execution of roadwork in the city.
"Meetings regarding monsoon preparations in Mumbai go on for two consecutive months, yet officials seemingly never step out of their air-conditioned rooms to visit the streets, leaving Mumbaikars to face such incidents. Tragically, we lost a 12-year-old child, and yesterday, an elderly person also lost their life," she said.
Questioning the timing of the drainage work, Malik sought accountability from the authorities.
"Why was the work, for which tenders were issued in May, being carried out in July? We deserve an explanation for this," she added.
Earlier on Thursday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) suspended four officials, including the Assistant Commissioner of 'L' Ward, following the incident.
According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the victim was a pedestrian who accidentally fell into the drainage through an open manhole while the maintenance work was in progress.
On the orders of BMC Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, a high-level search committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs). The committee has been directed to submit a comprehensive report on the incident within seven days.
The incident was reported to the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) at approximately 12:26 PM.
According to Fire Department officer AB Sonawane, a rescue operation was launched immediately after receiving the call.
"We received a call at 12:35 PM regarding an incident in the sewer line. Upon arriving at the scene, we discovered that a man had fallen into a manhole. We initiated a search operation; however, the water flow was very strong. Consequently, we opened the next manhole downstream to conduct the search and located him there," Sonawane said.
He added that the man was found unconscious with most of his body trapped in the water and was rushed to the hospital.
Preliminary investigations and reports from on-site police staff revealed that the manhole cover had been removed by private contractual staff (comprising three people with one vehicle) to carry out maintenance work.
"During this time, a man who was talking on his mobile phone accidentally fell into the open manhole. The private staff lowered a ladder into the manhole to search for him, but they found only his umbrella and slippers," a police official stated.