FIR Filed Against Housing Society's Chairman and Secretary and OTIS Elevator, Ex-IGP's Son and Grandson Trapped in Lift of Housing Society.

Ex-IGP's Son and Grandson Trapped in Lift, FIR Filed Against Housing Society and OTIS Elevator.

Mumbai, March 14, 2024: A former high-ranking police officer, Shashikant Shinde, has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against his housing society committee members and an employee of OTIS elevator company, alleging negligence that endangered the lives of his son and grandson.

Incident Details:

On March 10th, around 3:30 pm, Shinde's son, Ajinky (37), and grandson, Aryavrat (3), entered the elevator in their Kandivali (East) apartment building (Challengers Tower 1, Flat 604, Thakur village) and got stuck between the first floor and the parking level (P2). The ordeal lasted nearly 45 minutes, with Aryavrat experiencing difficulty breathing, crying, and vomiting.

Failed Response:

Shashikant, upon hearing their cries, sought help from the security guard, Mahendra Kanta Jaiswal, who claimed ignorance about the situation and unavailability of technicians due to it being a Sunday. He directed Shashikant to the society chairman and secretary.

Chairman and Secretary's Inaction:

Chairman Sudheer Khandelwal offered to contact OTIS but didn't visit the scene. Attempts to reach secretary Shailendra Mandovara were unsuccessful. Shashikant then contacted the OTIS area manager, AD Fernandis, requesting him to connect with the chairman.

Rescue and FIR:

Only at 4:10 pm did other security guards manage to bring in technicians from a nearby society (presumably using a different elevator) who rescued Ajinky and Aryavrat. The delay in response from the designated OTIS technicians and the lack of knowledge about the lift room key's location further aggravated the situation.

Charges and Concerns:

Shashikant filed an FIR at Samta Nagar police station on March 10th. The FIR names Khandelwal, Mandovara, Jaiswal, and Fernandis, accusing them of violating IPC sections related to negligence (287), endangering life (336), causing hurt (337), and acting with common intention (34).

Shinde expressed his outrage at the "indifferent and cowardly attitude" of the committee members, highlighting the potential danger this incident poses to vulnerable residents like senior citizens, women, and children. The delayed response and lack of basic knowledge about emergency procedures raise concerns about the housing society's management and elevator maintenance practices.