Tension in Government medical college hospital as MP, minister get stuck in lift

TIRUVARUR: Tension prevailed for about half-an-hour at the Government medical college hospital at Tiruvarur on Monday, as the State Handlooms and Textiles minister O S Manian, Nagapattinam Lok Sabha member Dr Gopal and seven others got stuck in a lift between the first and second floors of the hospital.

The Minister and others had gone to the hospital to meet some of the fishermen injured in a group clash at Akkaraipettai hamlet in Nagapattinam on Sunday. Police said all of them had got into the lift and proceeding towards the second floor of the hospital, when it got stuck, causing anxiety in the hospital complex.
However, after about 25 minutes struggle, the lift was brought up to some height, the doors broken open and everyone in it including the minister were safely brought out.

On information, Tiruvarur collector Mr. Nirmalraj rushed to the spot and asked the Medical college dean Dr AL. Meenakshisundaram to set right the fault in the lift and to ensure such a problem did not recur.

In 2016, there was a similar incident in which State Food minister R. Kamaraj got stuck in the same hospital lift.

Sources say, patients and their relatives are prevented from using the lift, while it is pressed into service only when VVIPs visit. Such erratic operation of the lift could have caused the problem, sources added.