RG Kar in the eye of the storm again as man killed in hospital lift collapse

RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata is once again in the news for the wrong reasons after a man died on Friday (March 20) morning after getting trapped inside a malfunctioning lift, raising fresh concerns over safety and administrative negligence at the government-run institution.

The deceased, Arup Banerjee (41), had visited the hospital for his young son’s treatment when the incident occurred at the hospital's trauma-care centre.

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According to family members, the lift plunged downward and crashed into the basement. He remained stuck for nearly an hour before being pulled out dead.

Another unfortunate death since 2024 horror

The incident comes less than two years after the brutal incident in which a woman doctor on night duty was raped and murdered inside the hospital premises, triggering nationwide outrage and even abroad, prompting assurances from the state government of sweeping reforms in hospital security and administration.

Measures such as tighter surveillance, infrastructure audits and accountability mechanisms were promised in the aftermath.

Friday’s incident, however, has once again exposed serious administrative and infrastructural lapses in the hospital, raising questions over the implementation of those promised reforms.

The recurrence of safety failures is likely to intensify scrutiny of the state’s public healthcare system and governance standards.

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The latest death also triggered protests by the victim’s family members and relatives of other patients inside the hospital premises.

With Assembly elections in the state approaching, the incident has taken on added political significance.

RG Kar rape-murder victim's mother may contest 2026 polls

The state's Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is reportedly considering fielding the mother of the 2024 rape-murder victim as a candidate from Panihati constituency in North 24 Parganas district to bring political attention back on the incident, as well as broader concerns over safety and administrative lapses in government-run hospitals.

Police registered a case of unnatural death and began an investigation into the lift incident. Several individuals, including the lift operator and personnel responsible for maintenance and security, have been summoned for questioning.

The episode has drawn a rare admission of administrative failure from within the ruling establishment.

TMC MLA and member of hospital body calls it a 'lapse'

Trinamool Congress MLA and Kolkata's Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh, who is also a member of the hospital’s patients’ welfare committee, conceded that the incident reflected “local administrative lapses” and a lack of monitoring.

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“There is no denying that this is a result of administrative failure at the local level,” Ghosh said after visiting the hospital, adding that he would call for an emergency meeting of the committee and seek a preliminary inquiry report.

He also pointed to accountability gaps, noting that while lift maintenance falls under the public works department, on-site officials and security personnel cannot evade responsibility.

“If the lift was not functioning properly or if personnel were absent, action must be taken against those responsible,” Ghosh said.