Bengaluru man dies after head gets stuck outside hotel lift: He had been helping out his friend who owned the place; hotel owner among three booked

A cage lift at a Bengaluru hotel turned fatal on Thursday morning when a 22-year-old man's head got trapped between the lift's iron grills and the building wall, killing him on the spot, as per TOI.

The victim, Rajesh Chandrayya Shivappayyanmath, was a BSc graduate originally from Hubballi. He was 22 years old.

The incident took place around 8am at Dakshina Upahar Hotel in Jayanagar 4th Block, a multi-storey establishment equipped with a cage lift used for moving materials between floors.


What happened that morning

Rajesh was not an employee of the hotel. The establishment belonged to a friend of his, and for the past three months, Rajesh had been coming in regularly to help with the day-to-day running of the business.

He had strong ties to south Bengaluru, frequently visiting his aunt's house in Yelachenahalli nearby and occasionally staying with his friend as well.

On Thursday, Rajesh entered the cage lift with some materials. As the lift moved up to the first floor, his head and neck became trapped between the lift's iron grills and the wall of the building shaft. He died at the scene before any help could reach him.

How it happened, and what police are probing

Investigators are still piecing together the exact sequence of events. A senior police officer told reporters that Rajesh may have leaned forward or looked down through a gap in the grills as the lift was in motion, which could have led to his head becoming caught.

That said, police have not ruled out maintenance failure or structural safety lapses as contributing factors. The condition of the lift, whether it met safety standards, and whether it was being regularly inspected are all part of the ongoing investigation.

Three booked for negligence

Jayanagar police have registered a case under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which covers causing death by negligence, against three parties: the hotel owner, the building owner, and the lift maintenance staff.

The case reflects a broader concern around cage lifts, which are commonly used in commercial buildings across Indian cities for carrying goods between floors. Unlike passenger lifts, these are often open-framed structures with minimal safety barriers, making them particularly dangerous if not properly maintained or used with caution.

Investigations are ongoing.

(With TOI inputs)