Missing for 10 days, man found dead inside apartment lift shaft

Bhopal: The decomposed body of a 77-year-old man who had been missing for nearly 10 days was found inside the lift shaft of a residential complex in Bhopal, prompting police to open an investigation into how he fell into the duct and whether there was any negligence in maintenance and safety.

According to NDTV, the body was discovered at Chinar Dream City in the Misrod area after residents reported a strong foul smell near the lift. A maintenance team lifted the lift car and found the body at the bottom of the shaft. The family identified the man as Pritam Giri, based on his clothing and slippers.

Police said the man had left home one afternoon, telling his family he was heading to Mandideep, but did not return. A missing complaint was registered the same night, followed by an FIR the next day at Misrod police station.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajnish Kashyap told ANI that a case of unnatural death has been registered and a post-mortem report is awaited. Preliminary findings suggest the man suffered chest injuries consistent with a fall into the lift shaft.

Police said they will issue notices to the lift operator and the housing society’s maintenance team to determine when the lift became non-functional, what repairs were attempted, and whether any lapses contributed to the incident.

The Times of India said the lift had been non-functional since around the time the man went missing and the body was found during repair work.