PATHANAMTHITTA: A custom-built lift installed to help a 75-year-old man with physical disabilities access his hilltop home at Kadammanitta in Pathanamthitta turned into a death trap after he got stuck in it following a suspected power outage on Wednesday.
The deceased is Mathukutty, 75, a retired KSRTC employee and resident of Kallelimukku. Police officials said the lift had been specially-built and installed two years ago to provide Mathukutty and his wife easy access to their house from the road, without having to climb some 20 to 30 steps. “The house is located 20ft above the road. The lift had been installed adjacent to the car porch near the entrance gate,” said an official.
As per the police, Mathukutty entered the lift to go up to the house when there was a loud noise. His wife rushed outside and found Mathukutty trapped inside with his head caught in the iron frame. She tried to force the lift door open with a machete but in vain.
The fire and rescue services were then alerted. The personnel reached the spot and extricated the elderly before rushing him to the hospital. However, he could not be saved.
Preliminary findings suggest a power outage might have caused the lift to stop midway. “It is suspected that when power supply was restored, the lift resumed movement suddenly, trapping his head between the iron frame. The exact cause of the accident is under investigation,” said an official.
Officials said the lift resembled a hoist seen in construction sites. Though enclosed externally with polycarbonate sheets, it reportedly lacked internal protective covering, leaving gaps between the iron pipes where Mathukutty’s head got stuck. “Mathukutty had earlier injured one of his hands in the lift,” an official said.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. The body has been shifted to the hospital for postmortem examination.