Book BMC rulers for culpable homicide, demands Uddhav Sena after monsoon deaths
Synopsis
Two monsoon deaths — a schoolboy crushed by a falling tree in Chembur and a 60-year-old who fell into an open manhole in Sakinaka — have pushed Uddhav Sena from demanding a BMC commissioner's resignation to calling for culpable homicide charges against Mumbai's political rulers. The Saamana editorial also mocked a '104 per cent desilting completion' claim, turning a civic failure into a sharp political indictment of the BJP-Shinde alliance.
Key Takeaways
Shiv Sena (UBT) demanded culpable homicide cases against BMC 's political rulers on 4 July via its mouthpiece Saamana .
Two deaths cited: a schoolboy killed by a fallen tree in Chembur , and a 60-year-old man who fell into an open manhole in Sakinaka .
Mayor Ritu Tawde 's claim of 104 per cent drain desilting completion was ridiculed, with critics questioning the arithmetic.
Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi (Shinde faction) demanded BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide 's resignation; Saamana called this 'intellectual bankruptcy' given Shinde heads the Urban Development Ministry.
Commissioner Bhide reportedly directed police to register cases against negligent contractors linked to the two fatalities.
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Saturday, 4 July demanded that cases of culpable homicide be registered against the political rulers of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), alleging that rampant corruption and civic negligence have directly led to at least two deaths following the first monsoon spells in Mumbai. The demand appeared in a sharply worded editorial in the party's mouthpiece, Saamana.
Two Fatalities That Triggered the Outrage
The deaths cited in the editorial occurred in separate incidents within days of the monsoon's arrival. In Chembur, a young schoolboy was killed when a tree collapsed onto a school bus. In the Sakinaka area, a 60-year-old man died after falling into an open, unguarded manhole. Both incidents, the Thackeray camp argued, were preventable failures of civic preparedness — not acts of nature.
Culpable Homicide Demand and Calls Beyond Resignation
The editorial argued that public anger has moved well past demands for the resignation of BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide. According to the Saamana piece, citizens are now calling for criminal accountability from the political establishment that governs the civic body. The editorial noted that Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi of the Eknath Shinde faction had demanded Bhide's resignation, holding her solely responsible — a position the editorial characterised as 'intellectual bankruptcy,' pointing out that Shinde himself heads the Urban Development Ministry. Amid mounting pressure, Bhide reportedly directed police to register cases against contractors whose alleged negligence caused the fatalities.
Corruption Allegations and the Contractor Culture
The Thackeray camp alleged that the BMC administration has effectively been captured by corrupt elements, with a commission-based culture reportedly taking root among private contractors and civic functionaries. The editorial claimed that pre-monsoon work — drain desilting, road repairs, and tree trimming — was left incomplete despite official claims to the contrary. It specifically flagged a statement by Mayor Ritu Tawde, who had declared that 104 per cent of drain desilting had been completed before the monsoon. Critics, as cited in the editorial, questioned the mathematical logic of a figure exceeding 100 per cent, arguing that the city remains at the mercy of contractors favoured by the ruling alliance.
Political Distractions Blamed for Stalling Civic Work
The editorial also took aim at a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Mulund, mockingly referred to as 'Popatlal', who has reportedly been visiting BMC headquarters to pressure the commissioner into evicting Bangladeshi immigrants — a matter that legally falls under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The Saamana piece argued that such political theatre at the civic body's headquarters has diverted attention and resources from essential services, contributing to the loss of lives. It called on the leader to instead raise the issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
BMC's Track Record Under Scrutiny
Commissioner Bhide, widely recognised as Mumbai's 'Metro Woman' for her oversight of underground metro tunnel construction, now faces intense scrutiny over the BMC's failure to address potholes and carry out effective desilting. The Thackeray camp argued that the contrast between large-scale infrastructure ambition and basic civic neglect encapsulates the governance crisis at the heart of Mumbai's monsoon disaster. The broader crisis has reportedly triggered infighting within the ruling alliance, with the Shinde faction and BJP allies publicly at odds over accountability.
Point of View
But it lands on a genuine accountability gap: when an official claims 104 per cent of desilting is done and a man still drowns in an open manhole, the credibility of civic governance collapses entirely. The Shinde faction's move to blame Commissioner Bhide while its own chief holds the Urban Development Ministry is a contradiction the ruling alliance has not answered. Mumbai's monsoon deaths are a recurring story — the real question is whether this cycle of outrage, resignation demands, and forgotten accountability will break, or simply repeat next July.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Uddhav Sena demanding culpable homicide cases against BMC rulers?
Uddhav Sena is demanding culpable homicide cases following two deaths caused by civic negligence — a schoolboy killed by a fallen tree in Chembur and a 60-year-old man who fell into an open manhole in Sakinaka — during Mumbai's early monsoon. The party argues these deaths were preventable and that political rulers governing the BMC must be held criminally accountable.
Who is BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and why is she under pressure?
Ashwini Bhide is the BMC Commissioner, widely known as Mumbai's 'Metro Woman' for overseeing underground metro tunnel construction. She faces criticism for failing to ensure pre-monsoon civic preparedness — including drain desilting, road repairs, and tree trimming — that critics say directly contributed to the two monsoon fatalities. She has reportedly directed police to register cases against negligent contractors.
What is the significance of the '104 per cent desilting' claim?
Mayor Ritu Tawde officially declared that 104 per cent of drain desilting work had been completed before the monsoon. Critics have questioned the mathematical validity of a figure exceeding 100 per cent, arguing it exposes the hollowness of official pre-monsoon preparedness claims while the city continues to flood and lives are lost.
How has the monsoon crisis affected the ruling alliance in Mumbai?
The crisis has reportedly triggered infighting within the ruling alliance. Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi of the Shinde faction publicly demanded Commissioner Bhide's resignation, while the Uddhav Sena editorial pointed out that Eknath Shinde himself heads the Urban Development Ministry, calling the demand contradictory and politically motivated.
What role do contractors play in the BMC's civic failures, according to the Saamana editorial?
The Saamana editorial alleged that a commission-based culture has taken root within the BMC, with private contractors reportedly distributing kickbacks among corrupt functionaries. It argued that contractor high-handedness and rampant corruption are directly responsible for the fatal accidents, and that Commissioner Bhide bears responsibility for failing to curb this brokerage culture.
