Six Bengaluru Tourists Injured in Hotel Lift Collapse in Srinagar

Srinagar : Six tourists from Bengaluru were injured on Friday after a lift reportedly collapsed at a hotel in the Hyderpora area of Kashmiri capital Srinagar, triggering concern over safety standards in hospitality establishments catering to visitors.

The incident occurred at Hotel Arison Luxury, where the group was staying during their visit to the scenic Valley, officials said.

According to official sources, the lift malfunctioned while it was in use, resulting in injuries to all six occupants. Immediately after the incident, hotel staff and local authorities rushed the injured tourists to the Government run Bone and Joint Hospital at nearby Barzulla, for medical treatment.

Doctors attending to the patients said that the injuries were largely confined to the legs and lower body, and that all six are in a stable condition.

The injured tourists have been identified as Vinkatesh (65), son of Muni Thimmaiah; D. Mangula (54), wife of R.L. Murthy; Kushalla (18), daughter of Jayaram; Pankaja (16); Venkatalakshmamma (60), wife of Chinnya; and Sowbhagya (60), wife of Vinkatesh. All of them are residents of Bengaluru and had checked in the hotel recently.

Earlier the hospital sources detailed the nature of the injuries, stating that the victims include a 65-year-old man with a right leg injury, a 54-year-old woman with a right thigh injury, an 18-year-old girl with a left knee injury, a minor who sustained a back injury, and two women aged 60 with injuries to the left foot and left leg respectively.

While initial assessments suggest that the incident was caused by a mechanical failure of the lift, the exact circumstances leading to the collapse are yet to be ascertained. Hotel authorities have not issued any official statement so far regarding the malfunction or the maintenance status of the lift. Officials said further details are awaited, and the matter is expected to be examined to determine the cause of the failure and to assess whether any negligence was involved.

The incident has once again drawn attention to the need for strict adherence to safety and maintenance norms in hotels, particularly in tourist-heavy regions, where a large number of visitors rely on such facilities during their stay.