Kolkata: Grief and anger marked the shraddha ceremony of Arup Bandyopadhyay, who died in a lift malfunction at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, as his elderly father blamed “administrative failure” for the tragedy and demanded accountability.

Arup died early Friday morning after a suspected lift malfunction in the hospital’s trauma care unit. Three days later, on Monday, family members, relatives, neighbours, and colleagues gathered at his residence in Dum Dum’s Jawpur Road to pay their last respects.

Amid the rituals, his father, Amal Bandyopadhyay, broke down, alleging lapses in safety and emergency response.

“My son died due to administrative failure. I don’t want his death to become an electoral agenda. I only want the failure that caused it to be corrected and those responsible punished,” he said.

A forensic team, along with officials from the homicide unit, visited the hospital on Monday afternoon to inspect the site.

Preliminary findings suggest that the lift may have been operated without adhering to standard safety protocols. Investigators are probing whether a communication gap between lift operators and the machine room on the roof contributed to the incident.

Officials indicated that a possible brake malfunction may have caused the lift to jerk abruptly upwards, leading to fatal injuries. The forensic team has collected blood samples and electrical cable fragments from the site for further examination.

Sources said the team, accompanied by a PWD official and representatives of the lift maintenance company, conducted a trial run of the lift and inspected the shaft area where Arup’s wife had reportedly fallen during the incident. Investigators admitted that safety concerns persisted even during the inspection.

Hospital sources pointed to a snapped cable in the machine room above the trauma care unit, possibly linked to the brake mechanism connecting the lift motor and lever system.

However, it remains unclear whether the cable broke due to mechanical failure, human error, or an electrical fault. The lift has been operational since 2012 and is maintained by an agency under the Public Works Department.

Another line of inquiry is whether the lift was being manually operated using a lever system during a malfunction or power disruption, and whether a sudden transition triggered the fatal jerk.

Meanwhile, a public interest litigation has been filed in the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI probe into the incident. The petition calls for preservation of CCTV footage, compensation for the victim’s family, and immediate implementation of safety recommendations by the National Task Force.

The plea also notes that despite assurances given to the Supreme Court that safety infrastructure upgrades at RG Kar Hospital and other facilities would be completed by October 31, 2024, such lapses continue to occur.

Also read: ‘Polytrauma, crushed organs’: 5 arrested in RG Kar lift horror; Homicide probe begins  

At the family’s residence, Arup, fondly known as Buchu, was remembered as a compassionate individual who often helped others in times of crisis, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after a 2021 accident that limited his mobility, he continued his social service.

The family has appealed to the state government to provide a permanent job to his wife, Mukta, to secure the future of their four-year-old child. Relatives said the family had recently planned a trip to Birbhum, but the packed luggage remains untouched.

Arup’s mother has reportedly remained confined to her room, grieving the loss, while residents described him as a dependable figure whose phone number was saved by many for help in emergencies.