Entally: 3-yr-old dies after falling into lift duct

Kolkata: A three-year-old child died after falling into the lift duct of an under-construction building in Entally on Wednesday afternoon, triggering concerns over alleged lapses in construction safety norms.

According to sources, the child’s father, Raj Kumar Rajbanshi, a resident of Convent Lane in Entally, lodged a missing diary at the Entally Police Station on Wednesday evening, stating that his three-year-old son, Pritam, had been missing since the afternoon.

He informed the police that the child was last seen around 4.30 pm on the roof of an under-construction building adjacent to their residence.

Rajbanshi told police that his wife, Kajal Kumari, went to the roof of a neighbouring under-construction building to collect clothes she had hung out to dry, with Pritam following her. She asked him to return to the ground floor, but later, upon coming downstairs, she found him missing. Despite searching the surrounding area, the family could not locate him.

After the missing child was reported, police searched the under-construction building and found him unconscious inside the lift duct. He was rescued and rushed to NRS Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

The incident sparked controversy, with sources alleging the lift duct’s front was uncovered, violating safety rules.

Officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation said the matter is under examination and an inquiry is underway.