One dead, another injured while cleaning sewer in Santacruz; police say no safety gear was provided
A 47-year-old worker died and a 26-year-old colleague was hospitalised after both entered a municipal sewer chamber during a drainage-cleaning job for a housing society in Santacruz East on Monday morning, September 28, 2026. Police said the men had allegedly not been provided any protective equipment while carrying out the work.
Where and when the incident occurred
The accident took place at around 11 a.m. near Bhavya Niketan society on 8th Golibar Road, opposite V.N. Desai Hospital, according to Vakola Police. The men were engaged in clearing a blocked sewage line when the sequence of events unfolded.
How the job was arranged
Vakola Police Station Senior Inspector Navnath Ghuge said the secretary of Bhavya Niketan had hired a retired Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official, identified as Jadhav, to arrange for the cleaning of a choked sewage line. In turn, Jadhav allegedly engaged the two workers for the task. Mr. Ghuge said the workers were not provided protective equipment while carrying out the cleaning work.
Victims identified
Police identified the deceased as Santosh Ganpat Kashte, 47, and the injured worker as Ajay Dhyanchand Thakur, 26.
BMC’s account of events
According to the BMC, the housing society had assigned private personnel—who were not civic employees—to clear its internal sewer line. During the operation, a municipal sewer manhole on the public road was allegedly opened without informing BMC staff. The two workers then entered the chamber, the civic body said.
Rescue and medical response
The Mumbai Fire Brigade was called to the spot and rescued both men from the sewer chamber. They were transported to the nearby V.N. Desai Hospital. Kashte was declared brought dead, while Thakur was admitted to the hospital’s Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) for treatment. Personnel from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, and a 108 ambulance service were mobilised as part of the emergency response.
Police investigation and next steps
“Police are awaiting Kashte’s post-mortem examination report before formally registering an FIR,” Senior Inspector Ghuge said. Officers are probing the circumstances under which the workers were engaged, the alleged absence of safety gear, and the reasons for their entry into the municipal sewer chamber.
The investigation will examine the roles and responsibilities of those who commissioned the work, as well as any procedural lapses related to informing municipal authorities and adherence to safety protocols, police said.
What authorities are examining
As part of the probe, police and civic officials are looking into the chain of engagement—beginning with the housing society’s decision to assign a retired BMC official and the subsequent hiring of private workers—and whether mandatory precautions were taken. The alleged opening of a municipal manhole without notifying BMC staff is also under scrutiny.
The incident has prompted a closer look at the conditions under which cleaning personnel were deployed and the safety measures, or lack thereof, in place at the time. Further action is expected following the post-mortem and preliminary findings of the investigation.
