"Cried, kept pressing the alarm bell": The harrowing tale of a man trapped in an elevator for 42 hours

It was pure courage that helped 59-year-old Raveendran Nair make it through what can only be described as a nightmare—being stuck inside an elevator for 42 hours. Raveendran Nair claimed he tried pressing the alarm button numerous times and dialing all of the helpline numbers in the lift, but no one came to help him.

Nair, an Ullur-based parliamentarians' hostel worker and local CPI leader, went to the hospital to get treatment for back problems. He was joined by his spouse, Sreelekha, who works at the hospital. He was riding the lift to see the doctor after receiving an X-ray when it got stuck.

After that, as he waited waiting for assistance, Nair understood that the following day was Sunday, and he might be stranded there till Monday.


“I urinated in a corner. Sometimes, I would cry out loud. I couldn’t sleep. When I felt thirsty or hungry, I just licked my lips. I kept pressing the alarm bell regularly. Although the lift chamber had no fan or light, some air continued to waft in, ensuring a continuous supply of oxygen,” he told.

When he did not return home on Saturday, his wife and two sons were unconcerned, believing it was due to his odd work hours. However, when he did not return on Sunday and they were unable to reach him by phone, they became concerned.

After calling the legislators' hostel and the CPI office, the family became aware that Nair had been missing since Saturday afternoon. By Sunday afternoon, they had filed a missing person report with the local police station and began looking for him.

“They were in shock. They had searched the premises of the medical college, but never knew I was trapped in the elevator,” he said.

He was eventually rescued when a lift operator arrived for work on Monday morning. Raveendran was taken to the medical college hospital following his rescue. The state health department has launched an investigation into the event, and three people, including lift operators, have been suspended.

Veena George, the health minister, has also demanded an immediate probe into the situation.