Bhopal Lift Tragedy: 77-Year-Old Pritam Giri Found Dead in Shaft After 10 Days
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: A deeply distressing incident has shaken residents of the Chinar Dream City residential complex in Bhopal, where the body of a 77-year-old man, identified as Pritam Giri, was discovered at the bottom of a disabled elevator shaft nearly ten days after he was reported missing. The grim discovery has raised serious questions about building safety, maintenance practices and responsiveness of authorities in high-rise residential communities.
According to police and family members, Giri left his home in the Misrod area on January 6, telling his relatives he was heading towards nearby Mandideep for some work. When he did not return by evening, the family grew concerned and initiated a search. His son, Manoj Giri, filed a missing person complaint with the Misrod police station on January 7 after their efforts to locate him proved futile.
For over a week, both family members and police focused their efforts on tracking Giri’s movements, but no trace of his whereabouts was found. It was only when residents noticed a strong foul smell emanating from the lift area of the society that the possibility of a tragic outcome emerged.
A maintenance crew was called in to investigate the source of the smell. When technicians raised the lift, they made the horrifying discovery of Giri’s decomposed body at the bottom of the shaft. Family members identified the body based on details such as his clothes and slippers.
Preliminary police reports suggest that Giri likely fell into the lift shaft and sustained fatal injuries, particularly to his chest, as a result of the fall. The police have registered a case of unnatural death and the body has been sent for a post-mortem examination to determine definitive cause and timeline of death.
The tragic incident has sparked widespread concern among residents and neighbours, many of whom allege that poor maintenance and negligence played a central role in Giri’s death. According to family members and fellow residents, the lift in question had been non-operational since January 6, the same day Giri disappeared, and was stuck about two feet below the ground floor. Due to this, Giri’s son said he did not initially suspect his father would have used the elevator.
Residents also raised serious concerns about lack of functional CCTV cameras in the building, especially on the third floor where the incident likely occurred. They claimed that several cameras had been defunct for years, despite repeated complaints to the society administration.
“Despite regular maintenance charges being collected from residents, basic safety measures such as timely servicing of the lift and functional surveillance systems were neglected,” a resident told local media. Many living in the complex alleged that lift doors sometimes opened on floors even when the elevator car was absent — a dangerous fault that had been repeatedly reported without timely corrective action.
The family from Bhopal has voiced strong accusations against the builder, society management and maintenance agency, asserting that the tragedy could have been avoided if proper safety protocols had been followed. Manoj Giri said that in the days following his father’s disappearance, there was no onsite police inspection or thorough search of the building interior, leaving them to search elsewhere for Giri.
Misrod police officials have stated that they will investigate the timeline of the lift’s breakdown, maintenance history and the responses to earlier complaints. Notices are expected to be issued to the lift operator and residential society’s maintenance team to understand when repairs were attempted and whether negligence occurred. The findings will inform potential legal action against those responsible if safety lapses are confirmed.
The incident has prompted calls from residents and civic observers for stricter enforcement of safety regulations in residential societies — especially in buildings relying on lifts for daily mobility. Advocates argue that regular mandatory inspections, functional CCTV surveillance and prompt maintenance can prevent such tragedies, particularly involving elderly residents who may be more vulnerable.
As grief and anger mix among Giri’s family and neighbours, the wider community is reflecting on the urgent need to address safety standards in condominium living spaces to ensure that no other family must endure a similar calamity.
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