A tragic elevator malfunction at Chouhan State Complex led to the death of 40-year-old Raja Bande after he fell into the lift shaft from the third floor. Safety and maintenance concerns resurface as this marks the second such incident in four months.
Chhattisgarh — A tragic incident occurred at the well-known commercial complex Chouhan State on Tuesday morning when a 40-year-old man, Raja Bande, resident of Subhash Chowk, Dundera Utai, fell into the elevator shaft from the third floor. The elevator door opened even though the lift was not at that level, leading to the fatal fall.
The mishap happened between 4 and 5 AM, when Raja was waiting for the lift on the third floor. Upon seeing the door open, he assumed the lift had arrived and stepped forward, only to fall directly into the shaft. He hit the lift roof located on the first floor, suffering severe injuries.
Emergency services including SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) were called to the scene. Using ropes, the rescue team retrieved Raja from the shaft. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries during treatment. His body is currently kept at Supela hospital mortuary, and Supela Police has launched a formal investigation.
This fatal accident has triggered outrage among local residents and business owners. Shockingly, this is the second death in four months at the same complex due to elevator issues. In the previous case, 32-year-old Vinay Gupta had died in a similar fashion from the fourth floor.
What’s particularly concerning is how the third-floor lift door opened while the elevator was stationed below—clearly indicating a maintenance failure and safety protocol breach.
Citizens are demanding strict legal action against the agency responsible for elevator maintenance and have questioned the safety mechanisms in place at commercial establishments like Chouhan State. Authorities have conducted an initial inspection, and further investigation is ongoing to determine responsibility.
