A 19-year-old worker died after his head got stuck under a lift which reportedly malfunctioned and landed on him, inside a metal factory in Shahdara Wednesday. Workers spotted the victim, Shiv Kumar Gupta, with his head stuck and shouting for help. By the time they managed to raise the lift and take him out, Gupta was bleeding profusely from head injuries. He was taken to a local hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Police have registered a case against unknown persons under IPC sections 287 and 304-(a).
Even as police questioned labourers at the factory and the post-mortem was conducted, allegations of lack of safety precautions at the site emerged. “We have not made any arrest so far. But if allegations of negligence are proven, action will be taken against the factory owner,” said Additional DCP (Shahdara) Ved Prakash Surya.
The complainant, Amar Dayal Shah, one of the workers, alleged in the FIR that the owner of the metal factory located in Friends Colony near GTB Enclave had not provided any safety equipment to workers.
He further alleged, “There is no lift operator at the factory. The gate at the entrance of the lift is missing and anyone could have fallen inside. There are no permanent structures around the lift area, and the owner usually goes for a quick fix rather than look after the safety of workers.”
Gupta had turned up for work at the factory at 5 pm. He was not wearing any protective gear. Suddenly, the lift started to move down and Gupta was caught under it. “Nobody from the management helped. We tried our best to help him,” Shah claimed.
Gupta is survived by his parents, who conducted his last rites on Friday.