30-minute ordeal for two girls stuck in PU hostel lift

Panic gripped Sarojini Hall (Hostel No. 3) at the PU on Wednesday night when two girl students were trapped inside a lift for nearly half an hour.

The incident, which occurred around 10 pm, left the students frightened and gasping for breath as the lift stopped midway and plunged into darkness. The terrified girls screamed for help, but repeated calls to university officials went unanswered.

Alka, a student sitting at the reception, was the first to hear their cries and raised the alarm. Hostel staff attempted to force open the doors but failed, prompting a call to the police.

Rescue efforts continued for over 30 minutes, during which the trapped students repeatedly asked for water as they struggled with suffocation. Despite reassurances from fellow students and staff, their distress escalated until the lift was finally prised open with police assistance and they were brought out safely.

Flaying the PU authorities, students flagged the absence of a siren system or immediate help mechanisms in hostels.