Mumbai Rains: Authorities Sued for Doctor’s Death During Floods

A clutch of Maharashtra and Mumbai administrators were sued for causing death due to negligence after Deepak Amarapurkar, a doctor, reportedly fell into an open manhole and drowned during the city's worst floods in over a decade.

A retailers' association has filed a public interest litigation, holding every major authority responsible for the death of the gastroenterologist. Among those sued are chief secretary of Maharashtra, municipal commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and chief engineers in charge of the sewage operations and storm water drains.

“We decided there has to be some accountability because enough is enough. This kind of ‘chalta hai' attitude won't do,” said Viren Shah, president of the Federation of Retail Traders' Welfare Association.

Mumbai received nearly 300 mm of rainfall on August 29, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and roads flooded. Several parts of the city were inundated in waist-deep water. Amrapurkar went missing in Elphinstone in central Mumbai and his body was found a day later in a drain, the Times of India reported. Commuters saw him slip into a manhole and his family identified him from an umbrella found at the spot, the report said.

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“Every citizen has fundamental rights,” said lawyer Sujoy Kantawala who filed the petition on behalf of retailers. “Your right to life cannot be taken away in this manner.”

The PIL seeks to register offences under Section 304-A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with death due to negligence. It also demands a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to be paid by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to a charitable institution, and seeks a panel to give suggestions on operating manholes.