Tragic Hospital Lift Incident Claims Life of Popular Kolkata Worker on His 40th Birthday
In a heartbreaking turn of events that has shocked the Jawpur Road neighborhood in Dum Dum, Kolkata, a 40-year-old municipal worker and active Trinamool Congress member died in a hospital lift accident while rushing his injured son for emergency treatment on what should have been a celebratory birthday evening.
From Birthday Celebrations to Family Emergency
Arup Banerjee, affectionately known as 'Buchu' to friends and neighbors, had just begun celebrating his 40th birthday with family and friends when he received an urgent call from his wife around 9:30 PM on Thursday. Their four-year-old son, Ayush, had fallen from a bed while playing and fractured his right arm, requiring immediate medical attention.
"He immediately left his birthday celebrations to take his family to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital," explained family members. "That decision to seek treatment would prove tragically fatal."
The Fatal Lift Incident and Alleged Hospital Negligence
According to family accounts, the tragedy unfolded when Banerjee, his wife, and their injured son became trapped in a hospital elevator. What followed, according to the grieving family, was a series of failures by hospital authorities that ultimately cost Banerjee his life.
"When he was stuck inside the lift, we pleaded with hospital authorities to call the fire brigade and open the lift, but they did nothing," cried Amal Banerjee, the deceased's father. "They misbehaved with us, made us run up and down the stairs, and told us to note emergency numbers from other lifts to call security personnel and PWD officers. Is this how hospitals should handle emergencies?"
Krishnendu Sinha, Banerjee's brother-in-law, revealed that even in the life-threatening situation, Banerjee remained more concerned about his wife and son's safety than his own. "He tried to get them out of the lift even as he suffered injuries himself," Sinha said, adding that the wife remains inconsolable and under treatment at the same hospital.
A Community Pillar Remembered
A contractual worker with the South Dum Dum Municipality and an active Trinamool Congress worker, Banerjee was described by neighbors as the most approachable and helpful person in the locality. His phone number was saved in nearly every resident's contact list, and he was known for his unwavering commitment to community service.
"If someone was sick, needed hospitalization, or even during a death in the family, he was always one call away," said neighbor Krishna Banerjee. "He was well-connected and always ready to help anyone in need."
Tapas Das, another neighbor who had recently benefited from Banerjee's assistance, expressed disbelief: "Only a few weeks ago I suffered a stroke at home. He was the one who rushed me to the hospital. I cannot imagine that he is no more."
Political Involvement and Family Legacy
Banerjee served as an assistant booth-level agent for the Trinamool Congress and played a key role in the SIR (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) process. His political colleagues remembered him as a dedicated worker who genuinely cared about his community.
"He was a wonderful human being," said Trinath Das, a party functionary in Dum Dum. "We still can't believe he died such a tragic death. He will always be missed by everyone who knew him."
The Banerjee family has lived in Jawpur for generations, with their ancestral home later redeveloped into a multi-storeyed building where Arup lived on the third floor with his wife, son, and parents. He had married in 2020 and was remembered by his former teacher, Sanatan Mondal, as someone who maintained respect for educators throughout his life.
Aftermath and Ongoing Treatment
While the community mourns Banerjee's tragic death, his family continues to deal with the aftermath. His four-year-old son, Ayush, underwent surgery for his fractured arm on Friday, while Banerjee's wife remains hospitalized, suffering from trauma and receiving treatment at the same facility where her husband lost his life.
The sea of mourners who kept visiting the family home throughout Friday served as testament to Banerjee's immense popularity and the deep void his sudden death has created in the close-knit Jawpur Road community.
