Overview
- An Instagram clip that circulated on Thursday shows a man identified as Nazim Shaikh performing a backflip off the Gateway of India into choppy monsoon seas, struggling against strong currents and then grabbing a rope near a ramp to pull himself to safety.
- Reporters and users identified the jumper as Mohammad Nazin “Nazim” Shaikh, a vada pav seller locally known for rescue work who is credited online with saving more than 300 people though that total has not been independently verified.
- The video went viral and drew widespread criticism calling the act reckless because Mumbai’s monsoon raises water levels and creates unpredictable currents, while some locals defended Shaikh as an experienced informal rescuer.
- Shaikh posted a follow-up video saying the jump was part of regular rescue efforts, that Mumbai Police know of his work, and inviting people to verify his claims in person, with media reporting those statements but not confirming them.
- The episode underscores the danger of monsoon coastal waters, highlights tensions between rapid social‑media judgments and local context, and could prompt calls for clearer safety signage and more formal oversight of rescues at popular waterfronts.