70-Year-Old Employee Dies After Falling Into Elevator Shaft at Pallavaram Eatery

A 70-year-old worker died on the spot after falling into an elevator shaft at a biriyani outlet on GST Road in Pallavaram around 10 am, after the lift's doors opened before the cabin arrived at the floor level. The deceased has been identified as M Mumtaz, who was employed at the restaurant operating out of a three-storeyed building.

According to police sources, Mumtaz had called for the elevator from the first floor while carrying a biryani bucket. At the time, the elevator was on its way down from the second floor. However, the elevator doors on the first floor opened prematurely before the lift could properly align with the floor level. Mistaking the opened doors for the lift's arrival, Mumtaz stepped forward and plummeted into the shaft, sustaining severe injuries to her head and body.

Another employee working on the same floor heard her cries and immediately alerted security personnel. The staff subsequently informed the Pallavaram police about the incident. A police team dispatched to the scene found Mumtaz at the bottom of the shaft with grievous injuries. She died at the spot, and her body was sent to the Tambaram Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The Pallavaram police have registered a case regarding the incident and are examining whether a technical fault, such as the failure of the lift's cable or another safety mechanism, caused the doors to open prematurely. Police noted that the biryani outlet was operating in the building on a rental basis.

Because there were no CCTV cameras covering the specific area where the incident occurred, police are questioning employees and other individuals present at the site to reconstruct the exact sequence of events. A senior police officer stated that the case was registered under relevant BNS sections, which may be altered depending on the findings of the ongoing investigation.