Kolkata, 21 March (H.S.): The preliminary post-mortem report in the death of 41-year-old Arup Bandyopadhyay, who died in a lift accident at R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, has revealed shocking details about the severity of the injuries he sustained.
According to the report, the impact of the accident was so severe that the victim suffered multiple fractures in his limbs and ribs, while critical internal organs including the heart, lungs, and liver were ruptured due to the trauma.
Based on a written complaint filed by the victim’s father, Amal Bandyopadhyay, police at Tala Police Station have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. At least five persons have been summoned for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.
According to available information, Arup had gone to the hospital for the treatment of his young son. He was found critically injured inside the lift early Friday morning and was later declared dead by doctors. Initial claims suggested he had been trapped inside the lift for hours before being rescued.
Police sources said the post-mortem confirmed multiple grievous injuries, including fractures in the arms, legs, and ribs, along with extensive internal damage.
Hospital superintendent Saptarshi Chattopadhyay said that, based on the family’s account, Arup became trapped after the lift started malfunctioning. After a button was pressed, the lift reportedly began moving erratically up and down, creating panic among the occupants.
When the lift stopped at one of the floors, three persons inside attempted to get out, but found the collapsible gate outside closed. During the attempt to exit, the lift suddenly started moving upward again, trapping Arup between the lift and the wall, which proved fatal.
The hospital superintendent admitted that the presence of a lift operator at the time might have prevented the incident and described it as an administrative lapse. He said new safety measures are being introduced, including ensuring that no lift operates without staff supervision.
The hospital has 32 lifts, and authorities have decided to deploy personnel in each of them to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
Meanwhile, the resident doctors’ association at the hospital has submitted a memorandum to the administration demanding a high-level probe into the incident. The association has also called for accountability for any negligence, strengthening of lift safety mechanisms, and enhanced CCTV surveillance within the hospital premises.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and all possible angles of negligence leading to the fatal accident are being examined.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
