BENGALURU: An 80-year-old retired engineer died after he accidentally fell into the lift shaft of Fortis Hospital situated in Nagarbhavi on Wednesday evening in Jnanbharthi police station limits. The family members have accused the hospital staff for negligence as he had sustained severe head injuries after the fall and remained in the shaft for over three hours.
The deceased, identified as Chidanand Murthy, a resident of Chandra Layout, had come to the Fortis Hospital on Wednesday noon for his wife’s dialysis. The incident came to light around 6.30 pm after the panic-stricken family members began a search and approached the hospital staff. When the CCTV footage was verified it was found that Murthy had fallen into the lift shaft.
The police have booked a case of death due to negligence against the hospital management and are probing in this connection.
Police said the tragedy struck around 4 pm when Murthy was accompanying home with his wife after the dialysis. Around 3.30 pm he had escorted his wife till the car, which was parked at the hospital main gate. After his wife got into the car, Murthy told the driver to wait and headed back to hospital.
He approached the lift on the ground floor and pressed the button. The lift was on the third floor. As Murthy was in a hurry, he pressed the lift button many times. The door opened, even though the lift cabin was at the third floor. Murthy failed to notice it and stepped inside. He fell into the lift pit and sustained grievous head injuries and died on the spot.
“Due to poor eye sight, Murthy did not realise that the lift cabin was still on the third floor. During preliminary investigation it came to light that the collapsible gate of the lift could open even if the cabin was on another floor, which is a technical fault. A case of death due to negligence has been slapped on the hospital,” said an investigating officer. The Jananbharthi police have registered the case
Family cries foul
The family of Chidananda Murthy has accused negligence on part of the hospital staff. The hospital staff did not even notice that he had fallen into the shaft. The incident came to light only after the family created furore about his disappearance.
