Woman's Death in Lift: Noida Police Books Society's Maintenance Firm, Office-bearers, Lift Maker

Noida police have booked German elevator manufacturer ThyssenKrupp, a maintenance firm as well as the office bearers of a residents’ association in a society in the city for negligence in the death of an elderly woman, officials said on Friday.

A 72-year-old woman died of a possible heart attack on Thursday after the cable of a lift snapped in a residential tower of Paras Tierra Society. The lift suffered a free fall between floors leading to the death of the woman, police said.

Sushila Devi was alone in the lift which did not hit the ground but was caught between some of the middle floors of the building before getting stuck on the 25th floor, police said about the incident that took place around 4.30 pm in the high-rise society located in Sector 137.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Anil Kumar Yadav said an FIR has been lodged on the basis of a complaint by the woman’s son and further investigation is underway.

The FIR has been lodged at the local Sector 142 police station under Indian Penal Code sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 304A (causing death by negligence) against seven people, including the society’s maintenance firm, office-bearers of the Apartment Owners’ Association (AoA) and ThyssenKrupp.

Those named are Ajay Singh Shekhawat and Santosh Kumar Baral, both directors of A N Secure, Monik Sharma, the facility manager of A N Secure, Ramesh Gautam, president of the AoA, Anang Pal Chauhan, vice president of AoA, and Neetu Salar, treasurer of AoA, according to the FIR seen by PTI.

After the incident on Thursday, several residents of the society had gathered in the common areas of the housing complex to protest the lack of maintenance of facilities and demanded that the office-bearers of the AoA resign immediately. Police force had to be deployed at the spot in view of the law and order situation with senior officials talking to the woman’s family and the AoA members.

Yadav said the incident took place around 4.30 pm but police were informed about it only after 7 pm, and the woman had died by then. She was taken to a hospital but to no avail. AoA president Ramesh Gautam was taken to a hospital after his health deteriorated on Thursday night, the officer said.