Daughter alleges negligence in mother’s death at Jammu hospital lift, demands inquiry

The daughter of a woman who died following an alleged elevator malfunction at the Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) in Jammu has demanded a thorough investigation into the incident, accusing the hospital of negligence and attempting to misrepresent the facts.

Kanchan Arora reportedly suffered critical injuries after being caught between the doors of an elevator inside the hospital. Her daughter, Muskan Arora, told The Tribune that the accident occurred when the lift’s sensors malfunctioned.

“My mother was caught between the elevator doors, which failed to detect her presence. The lift started moving while she was still between the doors. By the time she was pulled out, she had multiple injuries, including a fractured right forearm, and had lost consciousness due to oxygen deprivation,” Muskan said.

Kanchan remained in the hospital’s ICU for six days before succumbing to her injuries on November 6. Muskan alleged that her mother’s death was the result of “gross negligence” on the part of the hospital authorities.

“The hospital’s own medical report clearly mentions that the patient was pulled in the elevator door with multiple injuries, including a confirmed right forearm fracture. Yet now, the hospital claims she simply collapsed because of health issues — which contradicts their own records and insults her struggle and our grief,” Muskan said.

She added that the family had initially remained silent out of respect, but the hospital’s recent statements forced them to speak up.

“My mother fought for her life in the ICU for six days after being revived, but the damage from the delayed rescue and prolonged CPR was too severe. We want the truth to be known — she didn’t just collapse. She was trapped, injured, and neglected, and that negligence cost her life,” she said, demanding an impartial inquiry into the circumstances leading to her mother’s death.

Meanwhile, the Super Specialty Hospital administration has denied any lapse, issuing a statement claiming that Kanchan Arora collapsed suddenly inside the elevator. It stated that Kanchan was visiting the hospital for the treatment of her husband, who was admitted for angiography.

“As per CCTV footage, the lift operator was standing nearby when she suddenly collapsed inside the lift. He immediately opened the door, brought her out, and shifted her to the ICU, where she was attended by senior cardiac consultants, neuro-anaesthesia consultants, and other critical care doctors,” the hospital said in its statement.