Investigations into the RG Kar elevator death case disclosed that all three lift operators on duty on the night of March 20 were heavily intoxicated, rendering them unable to fulfill their responsibilities. The mishap in the hospital building, which houses the trauma care center, could have occurred in any elevator, as the operators were incapacitated, as per a Kolkata Police source.
All three elevator operators, now in police custody, admitted to lacking training before joining their duties at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, just a month before the incident. The absence of training combined with the operators’ intoxicated state hindered any rescue efforts for Arup Bandopadhyay, the victim of the mishap.
The city police insider mentioned that during the incident, the liftmen did not consider breaking open the elevator lock from outside to reach the basement and attempt a rescue. The arrested operators also revealed that being drunk during night shifts is common among many non-medical support staff.
CCTV footage confirmed that none of the operators were near the elevators after midnight, highlighting mismanagement within the hospital premises during late hours. The Public Works Department had outsourced lift maintenance to one agency and operator supply to another, with a recent change in the operator team due to a new agency taking over the contract.
