Kolkata, 21 March (H.S.): Kolkata Police have intensified their investigation into the death of a man in a lift malfunction at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, with a forensic team on Saturday collecting samples from the elevator in the Trauma Care building where the incident occurred on March 20.

The forensic experts are trying to ascertain why the lift suddenly went out of control and the exact reason behind the mechanical failure. Investigators are also examining whether the malfunction could have been triggered by multiple buttons being pressed simultaneously.

The deceased has been identified as Arup Banerjee, a resident of Dum Dum, who had come to the hospital for treatment of his three-year-old child. In the early hours of Friday, he got trapped inside the lift along with his wife and child in the Trauma Care unit.

According to family members, the lift briefly moved upward before suddenly plunging to the basement. The doors opened once at the basement level, allowing his wife and child to step out. However, before Arup could exit, the doors shut and the lift started moving upward again.

During this sequence, Arup became trapped in the lift doors and sustained critical injuries. A locked iron grille gate outside the lift at the basement level allegedly delayed rescue efforts. The family has claimed that his life could have been saved had the gate been opened in time, adding that despite their desperate pleas, no immediate help arrived.

Questions have also been raised over the absence of a lift operator, as government hospitals generally deploy personnel near elevators. On the day of the incident, Tala Police arrested three lift operators — Milan Kumar Das, Biswanath Das and Manas Kumar Guha — along with two security personnel, Ashraful Rahman and Shubhadip Das, in connection with the case.

On Saturday, the forensic team collected samples from the elevator, the spot where the body was recovered, and the basement area. Investigators are also examining whether the lift had prior mechanical defects and, if so, why it had not been taken out of service.

The preliminary post-mortem report revealed that Arup suffered fractures in his arms, legs and ribs, while the impact also caused severe internal injuries, including rupture of the heart, lungs and liver.

Family members have alleged that they pleaded for nearly one-and-a-half to two hours to have the iron grille gate in the basement opened. According to them, instead of breaking the lock, efforts were made to locate the key, which was reportedly with the Public Works Department. They claimed that immediate action might have saved his life.

Police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and the investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile, the RG Kar hospital authorities have held several internal meetings on the issue and are preparing to submit a detailed report to the state health department headquarters.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh