Deepak Amrapurkar death case: Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam demands murder charges against BMC

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam Monday said Shiv Sena-ruled Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) was responsible for the death of noted gastroenterologist Dr Deepak Amrapurkar who fell in an uncovered manhole on 29 August when heavy rains flooded the city.

He demanded that a case of murder be lodged against the civic body for the death of Dr Amrapurkar (58).The doctor's body was recovered from a nullah near the Coast Guard's office in central Mumbai's Worli on 31 August, two days after he fell in the manhole near Elphinstone Road station while going home."The BMC (alternate name for MCGM) is responsible for Dr Amrapurkar's death. While walking home on a water-logged road, he fell into a manhole and his body was recovered 36 hours later ... The BMC should be ashamed of itself," Nirupam said.The city Congress unit president was speaking to reporters after holding a condolence meet for the deceased doctor. Though the BMC claims to build good roads, nullahs overflow with the slightest influx of water, he said, adding that manholes are not even covered at several places in the city."It is shameful that the BMC commissioner blatantly says that though they cover manholes, their covers are stolen by unidentified people. There was no signboard near the sewer hole Dr Amrapurkar fell into to warn people. A case of murder should be lodged against the BMC," he said.The Bombay Hospital gastroenterologist left for home on 29 August evening in his car, but due to water-logging he left the vehicle near the Elphinstone Road station and started walking when the incident occurred. After he went missing, a rescue operation was launched by the police and fire brigade and a complaint was registered in this regard at Dadar police station.