Bhopal Horror: 77-Year-Old Found in Lift Shaft After 10 Days

New Delhi, january 20, 2026: In a chilling incident that has sent shockwaves through the city, the body of a 77-year-old man was discovered at the bottom of a lift shaft in a premium residential complex, nearly ten days after he first went missing. Even more harrowing are reports that the elevator continued to operate above his body for over a week before the tragedy was discovered.

The Disappearance

The victim, identified as Pritam Giri Goswami, a resident of the Chinar Dream City society in the Misrod area, was last seen on the afternoon of January 6, 2026. According to his family, Goswami had stepped out of his third-floor apartment to sit in the winter sun and visit a nearby area. When he failed to return by evening, his son, Manoj Giri, filed a missing person report with the local police.

For ten days, family members and authorities conducted an extensive search across the city, circulating posters and checking CCTV footage outside the society. Little did they know that the tragedy had occurred just steps from their front door.

A Gruesome Discovery

The incident came to light on Friday, January 16, when residents began complaining of a nauseating, foul smell emanating from the elevator area. Maintenance staff were called in to inspect the lift, which had been reported as “malfunctioning” or “stuck” around the time Goswami vanished.

Upon opening the shaft, technicians made the horrifying discovery: Goswami’s body lay at the bottom of the duct. Preliminary investigations suggest that the elderly man had attempted to board the lift on the third floor. However, due to a severe technical lapse, the outer doors opened even though the elevator car was not present, causing him to plunge into the dark shaft.

“It appears the man accidentally fell into the shaft, and a post-mortem indicates chest injuries consistent with a fall,” stated ACP Rajnish Kashyap.

Allegations of Criminal Negligence

The tragedy has sparked intense outrage among the residents of Chinar Dream City. The family has leveled serious allegations against the building’s maintenance team and the builder.

• Malfunctioning Doors: Residents claim they had repeatedly complained that lift doors often opened without the cabin being present—a “death trap” that was allegedly ignored.
• Operational Failure: While some reports suggest the lift was non-functional, others claim it continued to operate on other floors, potentially crushing the body multiple times over the ten-day period.
• Safety Lapses: The society’s CCTV cameras on the victim’s floor were reportedly out of service, leaving no visual record of the accident when it happened.

Current Investigation

The Misrod Police have registered a case of unnatural death. Notices are being issued to the lift maintenance company and the housing society management. Authorities are looking into whether the lack of regular safety audits constitutes criminal negligence.

The incident serves as a grim reminder of the deteriorating safety standards in high-rise residential complexes, where maintenance fees are collected but essential safety infrastructure is often neglected.