A heartbreaking discovery shocked residents of Chinar Dream City in Bhopal’s Misrod area when the decomposed body of 77-year-old Pritam Giri was found at the bottom of a lift shaft, nearly 10 days after he went missing. The grim find came on January 16 when a foul odour prompted the housing society’s maintenance team to raise the stuck lift car, revealing the body trapped underneath. Family members identified Pritam Giri from his clothing and slippers. Police have registered a case of unnatural death and are awaiting the full post-mortem report.

Pritam Giri left his home in the afternoon of January 6, informing his family that he was heading to Mandideep. When he failed to return, his son Manoj Giri filed a missing-person complaint at Misrod police station the same night, with a formal FIR lodged the following day. ACP Rajnish Kashyap stated that preliminary findings indicate the elderly man died from chest injuries sustained after falling into the shaft. The police suspect an accidental fall but are probing whether negligence contributed to the tragedy.

The lift in question had reportedly been non-functional since the morning of January 6, stuck about two feet below the ground floor. Manoj Giri recounted that he assumed his father could not have used the elevator and therefore was not in the building. Residents had repeatedly complained about the lift’s poor maintenance, including doors opening on floors without the car present—a serious safety hazard. The society’s third-floor CCTV cameras have allegedly been out of order for years, further hampering any investigation into Pritam Giri’s last movements.

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Authorities have announced that notices will be issued to the lift operator and the housing society’s maintenance team to determine when the lift malfunctioned and what, if any, repair efforts were made. ACP Kashyap emphasized that anyone found guilty of negligence during the probe will face legal consequences. The incident has ignited outrage among residents, who accuse the builder and maintenance agency of chronic disregard for safety standards in the residential complex.

This tragic case has renewed calls for stricter lift safety regulations, regular inspections, and accountability from housing societies across India. As the family mourns their loss, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by neglected infrastructure and the urgent need for proactive maintenance to prevent such preventable deaths in the future.

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