An LPG delivery man was crushed to death under a lift at ‘Ashiyana’, an apartment complex in Ambedkar Layout near Kuvempu Circle in Shampur on Tuesday noon.
Timmaraju (46), a resident of Kogilu Cross in Yelahanka, who worked as a delivery man for Shravan Gas Agency had gone to one Syed Zia Ulla Khadri’s flat to deliver a Bharath gas cylinder.
Khadri resided in the first floor of the three-storey apartment. After keeping the LPG cylinder in the corner of the house where the connections are given, he wanted to take the lift to go to the first floor to collect cash.
As soon as he pressed the lift button, its door opened and seconds after he stepped inside, the lift landed on him, killing him on the spot, police said.
The lift door was not supposed to open till the lift is in that particular floor.
Sunil Helavar, an advocate who stays in the neighborhood, said that, he saw the LPG delivery man coming on a bicycle and entering the apartment.
“Within minutes we heard the scream and ran towards the lift. The lift was on this man and blood was spread all over. I could only see his hands. We had to use a crowbar to pull the lift up and recover the body,” he said.
After the incident, many flats in the apartment complex were locked and house owners were not available for comment. The Shravan gas agency claimed that the victim was not a direct employee of the company and he worked for Chandrashekar, his relative.
BBMP corporator Y R Gowramma visited the mortuary and pacified the family members. She also promised them compensation. However, D J Halli police maintain that the house owners could not be held responsible. They have booked a case against the Chennai-based lift company ‘Lenzi’ under IPC section 304-A for negligence.
“We have to investigate in this direction. The lift company owners will be booked for negligence and we will not hesitate to take action,” the police said.