Claim

A 55-year-old man died after falling into an open manhole in Mumbai's Sakinaka because private contract workers had removed the cover and failed to replace it; only his umbrella and slippers were recovered.

“He falls into an open manhole, he just disappears within a split second and he dies, a 55 year old man with a family... because private contract workers had removed the manhole cover, they forgot to put it back... only his umbrella and slippers are found.”

Rationale

Multiple independent reports (Free Press Journal, ANI, Republic, ETV Bharat) confirm a 55-year-old man, Aslam Isak Shaikh, died on 2 July 2026 after falling into an open manhole in Sakinaka, Mumbai; private contractual workers had removed the cover (to install a safety grill/net) and left it open without barricading, and only his umbrella and slippers were initially found. The claim's core facts — age, location, cause, contractor responsibility, and the umbrella/slippers detail — all check out. The only minor gloss is 'forgot to put it back': reports indicate the cover was off for ongoing work without barricades rather than literally forgotten, which does not materially change the claim.

Evidence

• https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-55-year-old-man-dies-after-falling-into-open-manhole-in-sakinaka-four-bmc-officials-suspended Confirms 55-year-old Aslam Isak Shaikh died after falling into an open manhole on Khairani Road, Sakinaka, on 2026-07-02; the manhole had been opened by a BMC-appointed contractor's workers with no barricading, and workmen found only his umbrella and slippers when they searched; four BMC officials were suspended. ✓ reachable · archived
• https://aninews.in/news/national/general-news/maharashtra-case-registered-against-contractor-workers-after-man-dies-falling-into-manhole20260703120842/ ANI wire report: FIR registered against the private contractor and workers who had removed the manhole cover, corroborating that contract workers' removal of the cover caused the death. ✓ reachable · archived
• https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-manhole-death-police-register-fir-against-contractor-workers-after-55-year-old-dies-in-sakinaka Confirms police registered an FIR against the contractor and workers after the 55-year-old's death in Sakinaka. ✓ reachable · archived
• https://aninews.in/news/national/general-news/why-was-it-removed-and-on-whose-orders-bmc-condemns-sakinaka-manhole-death-launches-strict-inquiry20260703111553/ BMC inquiry into why private contractual staff removed the cover; confirms the drain was left uncovered during maintenance work. ✓ reachable · archived