A 47-year-old businessman fell down an elevator shaft after the doors of the lift opened and he stepped in without realising that the cabin was not there. He was taken to hospital where he died from excessive bleeding, said the police.
The incident took place at a garment showroom on Magadi Road on Tuesday.
The deceased, Ajay Katavakar, a resident of Mahalakshmi Layout, owned a sewing machine shop. He had gone to Sparkle Fashions to buy second-hand sewing machines, said the police.
After packing the machines, Mr. Katavakar pressed the lift button from the third floor. “When the doors opened, he did not immediately realise that there was no cabin. He fell down and crashed onto the roof of the lift cabin which was stuck on the second floor,” said the police.
His associates, Gopalakrishna and Ashok, who had accompanied him, were on the first floor when they heard a thud. When they realised what had happened, they along with the other employees in the showroom forced open the lift doors to reach Mr. Katavakar.
Based on a complaint filed by the victim’s wife, Sunitha, the police have registered a case of death owing to negligence against Sparkle Fashions. “The company had not maintained the lift, which led to his death,” a senior police officer said. No arrests have been made so far as the showroom management downed shutters soon after the incident.
“We have issued a notice to the management of the company to appear for questioning,” a senior police officer said.
