40-year-old dies trapped in Kolkata's RG Kar hospital lift in front of wife and son

KOLKATA: A Dum Dum resident, who turned 40 on Thursday, died in front of his wife and three-year-old son after the trio got trapped for an hour in a patient lift at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital early Friday. Sources said Arup Banerjee was found wedged between the lift doors that he was trying to pry open. While wife Sonali and son Ayush suffered minor bruises, Arup sustained severe injuries as he got crushed between the doors.

"According to autopsy surgeons, death was due to poly trauma, which included compression of the chest wall, rupture of the heart, lungs and liver. Besides, there were fractures in the legs, hands and ribs. All injuries were ante-mortem in nature," said joint CP (crime & traffic) Rupesh Kumar.

Two security guards and three lift operators on duty at the trauma care building where the accident occurred were arrested late on Friday.

The victim's family members, who were present at the hospital, alleged the lift was malfunctioning. Arup's sister Pinki claimed the lift went up and down multiple times without stopping at any of the floors. "We could hear my brother screaming from inside for help. We alerted the hospital security, but no help came," she said,

On Thursday night, the family had taken Arup's son to RG Kar after the child sustained an injury while playing at their Kalindi home. After examination and tests, doctors said the child had sustained a fracture and needed surgery.

The family was waiting on the trauma centre 1st floor that houses the orthopaedic surgery unit when the child wanted to use the washroom. Since there is no patient washroom on the floor, Arup, Sonali and Ayush got into the lift to reach a pay-and-use toilet on the ground floor.

near the hospital main gate. CCTV footage shows the trio entering the lift around 4.45 am, Arup pressing a button and the lift's doors closing. No liftman was present.

What happened thereafter is being investigated by police.

The lift finally stopped in the basement that houses the radiotherapy unit. Since the department is a restricted space, access to the lift is through a collapsible gate that was padlocked. The unit was also shut at the time. Hospital personnel managed to bring out the trio at around 5.12 am. "The injured person was rushed for treatment but could not be saved as he had sustained injuries. His wife and son were found safe," said RG Kar MSVP Saptarshi Chatterjee.

Arup's father, Amal Banerjee, who was in the hospital through the night, blamed negligence for his son's death. "If help had arrived immediately, my son would have been alive," he said.

Kolkata Police registered an FIR at Tala Police Station under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 3(5) (common intention). "The case was recorded on the basis of a written complaint from the victim's father," joint CP Kumar said.

Police sources said the CCTV footage will be sent for forensic examination. In addition, cops are seeking independent video footage from the spot, if any. The lift manufacturer and experts in the field and a forensic team will also be taken to the spot for examination.

Trinamool MLA Atin Ghosh, a member of the hospital's Rogi Kalayn Samity, reached the hospital and blamed the administration for negligence.

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