RG Kar lift death: Probe reveals loopholes; chaotic 30-minute search for key as family cried for help

Kolkata, March 24 (IANS) Investigations into the RG Kar elevator death case have revealed that the security guards were completely unaware that a key to the basement was kept in the office of the Superintendent of the hospital.

As a result, what should have taken just three minutes to find the key ended up taking 33 minutes. Despite suffering fractures to his ribs and ruptures to his internal organs, Arup Banerjee had survived for nearly an hour. Investigators said on Tuesday that his life could have been saved had the keys to the basement been found in time.

According to the police, had time not been wasted in searching for the key, his medical treatment could have commenced much earlier.

As per the police report, the man passed away around 5.30 a.m. last Friday. Meanwhile, detectives from Kolkata Police are currently compiling a list of all individuals involved in this incident of involuntary homicide, in addition to the three lift operators and two security guards who have already been arrested.

On Monday, forensic experts returned to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to visit the scene of the incident. The trauma care unit elevator in which Banerjee lost his life had malfunctioned. The elevator was subsequently inspected in the presence of PWD officials.

Meanwhile, detectives have interviewed Banerjee's wife, Sonali; his father, Amal Banerjee; and several friends and relatives who were present at the scene. Police are now issuing notices to the elevator manufacturing firm as well as the company responsible for the elevator's maintenance. Furthermore, since allegations have been levelled against the CISF personnel who were on duty at the time, the police will also summon them for questioning.

Arup’s father, Amal Banerjee, informed the police that his son and daughter-in-law were screaming for help from the basement. When several of Arup’s friends attempted to descend into the basement, they discovered that the gate was locked. They desperately pleaded with the security guards, the lift operator, several hospital staff members, and CISF personnel to open the gate. However, they were told that the keys were held by the PWD.

During the investigation, detectives discovered that many of the security guards were unaware that the keys to the basement were actually kept in the hospital Superintendent's office. They were unable to locate the keys anywhere else. Eventually, a security officer learned that the keys were kept in the Superintendent's office. An attendant stays in the Superintendent's office overnight; however, he too was asleep at the time. Several security guards began searching for him. He was found in the immediate vicinity of the office. After he was woken up, he located the keys and handed them to the security guards. By then, nearly half an hour had elapsed. Even with those keys, not all of the locks could be opened. The security guards ultimately reached the basement via an alternative route.

Arup, his wife, and their son were subsequently rescued from the elevator shaft.

Following his rescue, Arup was taken away on a stretcher to receive medical treatment; however, police claim that he passed away just minutes later.

Meanwhile, during interrogation, the three arrested lift operators informed the police that -- even if they wished to -- they could not have violated protocol to retrieve the basement key from the Superintendent's office, as the attendant would not have handed it to them. That key is accessible exclusively to the security guards.

During interrogation, one lift operator stated that he took a different elevator down to the basement, where he observed a protective grille positioned in front of the elevator door. Another lift operator mentioned during questioning that he had also visited the elevator's machine room located on the upper floor.

The police have stated that they are currently investigating why one of the lift operators, apparently unaware of the situation, pressed the switch and attempted to raise the elevator.

--IANS

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