Mumbai Monsoon Tragedies Rise To 3 After Man Falls Into Uncovered Manhole

Mumbai: A 60-year-old man lost his life on Thursday afternoon. He fell into an open manhole in Mumbai’s Chandivali area. This marked the city's third rain-related fatality this week as heavy monsoons continue to batter the financial capital. The victim, identified as Aslam Isak Shaikh, is a resident of Yadav Nagar. He was walking down Khairani Road near Sanman Hotel around 12:30 PM when the tragedy struck. According to civic officials, Shaikh was distracted while talking on his mobile phone and failed to notice the manhole, which had been left uncovered for utility maintenance work.

What the BMC officials had said?

The strong underground water currents immediately swept him away. "Private workers on-site quickly lowered a ladder into the shaft to look for him, but they only recovered his umbrella and slippers," the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in an official statement. Shaikh’s body was later retrieved and rushed to Rajawadi Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

How the local authorities acted?

Local authorities have launched a formal probe. Officials indicated that they are looking into filing a case of culpable homicide against the contractor. He is responsible for leaving the maintenance site dangerously unsecured.

#WATCH | Mumbai | Today, within the jurisdiction of Sakinaka Police Station, repair work on the water drainage grill was being carried out on Khairani Road. During the course of the work, a pedestrian, namely Aslam Isak Shaikh, aged 60 years, a resident of Yadav Nagar, Sakinaka,… pic.twitter.com/yDW5mcPLiq

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2026

Is it a deadly week for the city?

Shaikh’s death adds to a grim tally of monsoon casualties in Mumbai over the last 48 hours. The first one was when a tree collapse in Chembur. On Tuesday, an 11-year-old student died following a tree crashed upon a Universal High School bus carrying 12 children. In the wake of public outrage, the BMC  has suspended two officials; Assistant Garden Superintendent Jagdish Bhoir and Assistant Engineer Arun Munde.

The another incident occurred when a balcony collapse in Walkeshwar. It also happened on Tuesday, in which a 51-year-old man was crushed to death on Babulnath Road. A third-floor balcony suddenly caved in and he was trapped under heavy debris. Mumbai remains is facing torrential downpours and declared high alert in the region. Several pockets of the city logged over 200 mm of rain within a 24-hour window. It triggered severe waterlogging and bringing local traffic to a crawl. The weather department has warned that the heavy spells are expected to persist until early Friday.