Bengaluru, July 16 (IANS) A 22-year-old youth died in a tragic accident after his head got trapped in a service lift at a hotel in Bengaluru’s Jayanagar area on Thursday morning.

The deceased has been identified as Rajesh, a native of Dharwad. The incident occurred at around 9 a.m. within the jurisdiction of the Jayanagar police station.

According to the police, Rajesh sustained fatal head injuries after his neck and head became trapped while the lift was moving between the first and second floors of the building.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the lift involved in the incident was an old service elevator fitted with iron grills and lacked safety doors. Police said the lift could be operated even when the grills were left open and was primarily used by hotel staff to transport gunny bags containing vegetables and other materials.

Investigators suspect that Rajesh entered the service lift and, for reasons yet to be ascertained, leaned or extended his head outside the grill while it was in motion. As the lift ascended from the first floor to the second floor, his head reportedly struck a concrete beam between the two floors. The lift continued to move upward, causing severe injuries.

Rajesh died on the spot due to the impact, police said.

Police personnel rushed to the hotel soon after receiving information about the incident and conducted a preliminary enquiry. Officials said there was no evidence of foul play at this stage, and the death appears to be accidental.

Authorities are also trying to ascertain why Rajesh had come to the hotel, as his connection to the establishment remains unclear. Police have contacted his family members in Dharwad and are awaiting their arrival.

A case has been registered at the Jayanagar police station, and further investigation is underway. The incident has once again raised concerns over the use of outdated lifts and the lack of safety mechanisms in commercial establishments across the city.

In July first week, a 15-year-old boy was crushed to death in a hydraulic material lift at a hardware store on Tannery Road, Bengaluru. The victim had been brought to the city from Mumbai for the school holidays, but the shop owners allegedly forced him into hazardous labour carrying heavy paint cans instead of teaching him computer skills as promised.

In May, a 28-year-old employee working at an Instamart facility in Mangaluru’s Kuntikan area died following a fatal elevator malfunction.

–IANS

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