Bhopal: Missing 77-year-old man found dead in lift shaft after 10 days

A 77-year-old man reported missing was found dead in a Bhopal lift shaft 10 days later. The discovery was made after residents reported a foul smell. Police are investigating negligence as the lift and CCTVs were reportedly non-functional.

A 77-year-old man, Pritam Giri, was found dead in a lift shaft at the Chinar Dream City residential complex in Bhopal, approximately 10 days after he was reported missing, a police officer said on Monday. Residents noticed a foul smell near the lift. A maintenance crew lifted the car and found a decomposed body at the bottom of the shaft. Family identified it as Pritam Giri from the clothing and slippers.

According to family members, Pritam Giri left his home in Chinar Dream City, Misrod, in the afternoon, telling family he was heading to Mandideep. When he didn't return, his son Manoj Giri reported him missing that night; a formal missing-person FIR was filed the next day at Misrod police station.

Police Investigation Underway

ACP Rajnish Kashyap (Misrod) told ANI that a case of unnatural death has been registered and a post-mortem is pending. Preliminary reports suggest chest injuries from a fall into the shaft. "A missing complaint of a 77-year-old man identified as Pritam Giri, was registered at Misrod police station by his family members. After some days, his body was found under the lift shaft. Following this, a case has been registered, and an investigation is underway. Prima facie, it appears that the man accidentally fell under the lift shaft, though a detailed post-mortem report is awaited. In the short PM report, it appears that he died sustaining injuries in the chest due to falling," Kashyap told ANI.

He further added that the police will issue notices to the lift operator and the housing society's maintenance team to determine when the lift broke down and what repairs were attempted. "It is said that the lift was not operational. So, information will be collected about when it was damaged and what corrective measures were taken. Those who are responsible for the maintenance, if found guilty in the investigation, necessary legal action will be taken against them," he added.

Family Alleges Negligence

The deceased son, Manoj Giri, said that the lift was non-functional on Jan 6, stuck about 2 ft below the ground floor, and that he assumed his father couldn't have used it. He claimed police never visited the site, and his brother's statement was taken only at the station three days after the disappearance. He also said that the society's CCTV cameras on the third floor have been out of service for years, and residents have repeatedly complained about the lift's poor condition, but the maintenance team has kept postponing repairs.

"On January 6 afternoon, my father left the house, stating he was going to Mandideep. I came downstairs thinking to drop him off at the destination, but he was nowhere to be found. I thought he might have left via bus. The building's lift was operational in the morning, but when I went there, it was not operational and was stuck 2 feet below the ground floor. Again, I assumed that since the lift is not working, my father could not be here," Manoj Giri told ANI. "Three days later, when I sent my younger brother to enquire about the issue, the police recorded his statement at the police station only. The following day, they called me with a picture of my father. I came to know about the incident on January 16, when a foul smell emanated from the body. I called the maintenance team of the society to raise the lift and when it was lifted, the body was found under it. There is negligence of the maintenance team as well in this, as they did not improve the lift for 10 days," he said.

Known Hazards Ignored

He further said that residents alleged the lift doors often opened on floors without the car present, a known hazard that had been reported but ignored. The incident has sparked calls for stricter enforcement of lift safety and accountability from the builder and maintenance agency. He also highlighted that the CCTV cameras installed there were non-functional. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)