A severe accident took place on Saturday within the jurisdiction of the Saman police station in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district, where a patient lost his life after getting trapped inside a hospital elevator. Following the incident, enraged family members blamed the hospital management for negligence and launched a strong protest outside the facility. The grieving relatives demanded an immediate shutdown of the medical establishment and warned of an aggressive agitation if strict actions are not taken against the culprits. Upon receiving information about the incident, local police rushed to the spot, but the situation escalated further as the family members accused the police personnel of misbehaving and assaulting them during the commotion.
Hospitalized after a shoulder injury
The deceased person has been identified as Suresh Sen, a resident of Lalpur village in the Amarpatan region. The victim's son, Himanshu Sen, stated that his father had fallen from a tree a few days ago, resulting in severe injuries and a fractured shoulder bone. On Saturday evening, he was admitted to the aforementioned private hospital in Rewa for medical treatment. According to Himanshu Sen, during the night hours, a hospital staff member was taking his father to the upper floors of the building on a stretcher via the elevator. When the relatives attempted to board the lift as well, the staff member stopped them from entering and instructed them to take the stairs to reach the upper floor.
Body found trapped as staff member went missing
The relatives alleged that when they reached the upper floor using the stairs and arrived near the elevator, they discovered that Suresh Sen's body was trapped in the lower part of the lift. According to the family, half of his body was wedged inside the elevator while the hospital employee was nowhere to be found. Himanshu Sen made a serious allegation that about twenty minutes prior to this fatal accident, a young girl had also gotten trapped in the very same elevator. Despite this warning sign, the hospital management failed to take necessary precautions, and shortly afterward, his father was transported using that same lift. The family stated that had the management taken timely steps to inspect and secure the elevator, this tragic accident could have been averted.
Demands for closure and allegations against police
The news of the patient's death triggered immense outrage among the family members, who blamed the management for the tragedy and commenced a demonstration outside the premises. Their primary demand is an impartial investigation into the matter and stringent action against those responsible, alongside an audit of the hospital's safety infrastructure. They warned that if justice is denied, they will escalate their protests. Meanwhile, the relatives also alleged that during the demonstrations, police personnel resorted to physical manhandling, assaulted them, and dragged some individuals across the ground. However, a detailed official response from the police regarding these allegations is still awaited.
Police investigation and official statement
Addressing the incident, CSP Rajeev Pathak stated that information was received regarding a person's death due to getting stuck in a private hospital's elevator. The deceased's body has been shifted to the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital for a post-mortem examination. He noted that the incident is currently under thorough investigation and all necessary evidence is being collected. Based on preliminary findings, it appears that the victim's neck got trapped due to a technical malfunction in the lift. The CSP affirmed that legal action will be taken in accordance with the law based on facts and evidence gathered after a comprehensive inquiry.
