Kolkata, March 20 – Police from the Tala police station, under the Kolkata Police, detained five individuals on Friday for questioning in connection with the death of Arup Bandopadhyay, who was trapped in the elevator of the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and remained trapped there for more than an hour.
Based on a general diary filed by Amal Bandopadhyay, the father of the deceased, the police officers at the Tala police station had registered an FIR invoking sections related to culpable homicide.
Meanwhile, the preliminary post-mortem report indicated fractures in the rib, hand, and leg bones, as well as ruptures in the lungs, heart, and liver.
Amal Bandopadhyay went to the hospital on Friday morning to inquire about the medical condition of his minor son, who was admitted to the trauma care unit of the hospital.
Arup got trapped in the elevator of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, and after more than an hour, his body was recovered from there.
There were allegations that no elevator operator was present during the incident, which occurred when Arup was trapped in the elevator, which got stuck midway for more than an hour, and during that period, no hospital staff or elevator operator was available to reactivate the elevator.
Saptarshi Chattopadhyay, Medical Superintendent of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, told media persons that the complaint filed by Arup's father with the hospital authorities has been forwarded to the Tala police station.
"The family members of the deceased have alleged that he got injured after getting trapped in the elevator. The elevator was functioning properly. A button was pressed, after which the elevator went up and down. They panicked. According to the deceased's family, the elevator came to a stop. The three people trapped inside tried to get out. But there was a collapsible gate outside the elevator. At that time, the deceased person attempted to get out of the elevator, it started going up again. At that time, the deceased got stuck between the elevator and the wall. These are the claims of the deceased's family members," Chattopadhyay said.
He also admitted that the absence of the elevator operator or any supporting staff was an administrative lapse.
R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital has been in national headlines over the rape and murder of a woman doctor within the premises on August 2024 morning.
Later, an investigation also started over the massive financial irregularities at the hospital, and there is a large-scale perception that the heinous rape incident took place as the victim became aware of those financial irregularities.
Sandip Ghosh, former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, who is accused of being the mastermind in the financial irregularities involving the hospital, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation and is currently in jail.