UP man crushed after stepping into empty lift shaft

Aligarh: A businessman visiting a multi-storeyed apartment building here died in a freak accident after the elevator malfunctioned, police said.

The deceased, identified as property dealer Hari Om Sharma, 58, had gone to Rasik Apartments in Ganga Jawahar Colony under Kuwarsi police station to visit a client.

According to witnesses, the victim — presumably inattentive — attempted to enter the lift after the door opened, unaware that the lift was yet to descend.

He stepped into thin air and tumbled over into the shaft. The lift came down a moment later, crushing the victim under its weight.

Senior district officials including Additional City Magistrate Digvijay Singh arrived at the spot to take stock of the situation.

District magistrate Avinash Kumar has set up a two-member enquiry committee to investigate the incident with the secretary of the Aligarh Development Authority as one of the members.

The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, officials said.