40 Years Old Lift Plunges From Second Floor At Navalakha Complex In Indore; Seven Injured

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Who was responsible for maintaining the 40-year-old lift at Navalakha Complex? That question has come to the fore after the elevator fell from the second floor of the Snehnagar residential complex on Tuesday, injuring seven people, including six visitors from Punjab. Indore police are examining the lift’s maintenance records, condition and capacity. Residents have raised concerns about its upkeep, while investigators have yet to establish what caused the fall or whether any lapse contributed to it.

The six visitors had come to meet resident Manoj Dhingra and his family. They boarded the lift with another person to descend from the second floor. Instead, the elevator dropped to the ground floor with all seven inside.

Additional DCP Dishesh Agarwal identified the injured as Ankit Dhingra, Muskan Kheer, Harvinder Kumar, Ramesh Kumar, Shubham, Asha and Anita. Ankit suffered serious injuries to his leg. All seven were taken to a private hospital for initial treatment.

A security guard said he heard a heavy thud sound and rushed to the lift after hearing the occupants call for help. He helped them out before police were informed.

Police said the lift was carrying more people than it was designed to accommodate. They also said its maintenance was pending because residents had not been contributing regularly towards upkeep. Neither point has been established as the cause of the fall.

Residents said the lift was around 40 years old, while the complex was about 50 years old. Their concerns have put the arrangements for inspections, repairs and maintenance payments under scrutiny. Police are reviewing the lift’s records and the circumstances of the accident before concluding.