Negligence in lift upkeep behind crash that killed MP industrialist, kin: Police

MHOW: The Madhya Pradesh police blamed negligence in maintenance for the crash of an elevator which killed industrialist Puneet Agrawal and five members of his family at his farmhouse in Indore’s Patalpani area on Tuesday night.

Agrawal (53) was the founder and managing director of Prakash Asphaltings and Toll Highways (India) Ltd, also known as PATH India.

The accident took place on Tuesday evening.

Apart from him, his daughter Palak (27), her husband Palkesh (28), Agrawal’s grandson Nav (3) and two relatives, Aryaveer (11) and Gaurav (40) were killed in the elevator collapse. Nidhi, another relative, sustained serious injuries.

The elevator was used for going to the top of a 70-ft watchtower-like structure which was under construction, said a police official.

“It appears that negligence in

POLICE SAID THE ELEVATOR WAS NOT FULLY SET UP AND WAS USED FOR CARRYING BUILDING MATERIALS IN THE TOWER, WHICH WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

the upkeep of elevator resulted in the crash,” said Badgonda police station in-charge Robert Girwal.

“We have cordoned off the site and probe is on,” he added.

Town inspector of the Badgonda police station Robert Girwal said, “During a New Year’s Eve party they were coming down in a lift when the lift fell from a height of more than 70 feet.” “The bodies were handed over to the family after a postmortem examination. An investigation is on to find out how the mishap occurred,” he said.

According to police, the lift was not fully set up and was used for lifting building materials in the under-construction tower.