Mumbai, July 2 (IANS) Taking a serious note of a 45-year-old man falling into manhole on Khairani Road, Sakinaka on Thursday morning, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar said the registration of a culpable homicide offence in this regard should be checked.

He directed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner give a detailed report in this regard by evening. The issue was raised by the BJP legislator Amit Satam demanding stern action.

Speaker said, “It is quite a serious issue. Various works are underway during the rainy season. In some cases manholes are open and in some areas roads are dug up. In such cases, the offence under culpable homicide should be registered.”

He recalled that few years ago a leading doctor died after getting washed away after falling into an open manhole. Forest Minister Ganesh Naik assured that the government will act as per the Speaker’s directive.

Amidst torrential rainfall that has been lashing Mumbai since yesterday, a tragic incident took place on the Khairani Road, which connects the western suburbs of Andheri-Saki Naka and Jogeshwari to the central areas of Kurla and Ghatkopar, when the victim was reportedly talking on his mobile phone.

His umbrella and slippers were found at the spot, and a search operation involving the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the police, and the 108 emergency ambulance service was launched to trace him.

According to reports, maintenance work was being carried out at the site by a private contractor, because of which the manhole cover had been left open.

The victim, identified as Aslam Ansari, was walking down the street while talking on his mobile phone. Unable to gauge the open hazard amid the waterlogged street, he fell straight into the deep manhole. The manhole is estimated to be around 20 to 25 feet deep. Due to the powerful force of the rushing stormwater, Ansari was swept away underground and washed up at another manhole located about 15 to 20 feet away.

A multi-agency rescue operation was immediately launched involving the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), local police, 108 Ambulance services, and civic officials. This marks the second such high-profile negligence incident recently.

Earlier, a municipal worker had similarly fallen into a manhole during an inspection tour by Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde.

The victim’s relatives, including his brother, rushed to the spot following the accident. Expressing deep anguish and anger over the lack of safety measures, Ansari’s brother stated, “The rain had intensified, and he was heading back home. Some work was being carried out there, but those people clearly do not care about human lives. They had put up no safety barricades or warning signs for public safety. The work was left wide open, and my brother fell right into it.”

Local police and BMC officials have launched an investigation into the private contractor’s lapse in safety protocols at the work site.

–IANS

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