In a tragic act of heroism, a 28-year-old mason named Shahzad Shaikh lost his life while saving a minor girl who had fallen into a drain in Ghatkopar (East) on Sunday.

The girl, Sonali Banjara, was playing with a ball around 4 PM when it fell into the drain. As she tried to retrieve it, she slipped and fell in. Hearing her cries, two men — Sandeep Sutar (37) and Shaikh — jumped in to help. They successfully rescued the girl, and Sutar got out safely.

However, Shaikh’s leg got stuck in the sludge, and he drowned despite efforts to save him. He was later pulled out by rescue teams but was declared dead at the hospital. Shaikh is survived by his wife and four children.