Pregnant woman’s fatal fall in lift shaft

Chittoor: In a tragic incident, a pregnant woman accidentally fell into the elevator shaft and died at Kanipakam on Thursday. According to information reaching here, Sridevi (25) along with her husband Vinayagam, an ex-serviceman of Vavillathota in Puthalapattu mandal, came to Kanipakam and checked into a room in the Devasthanam’s VIP Guest House on Wednesday. They came to take part in the ‘Abhishekam seva’ in Varasiddhi Vinayaka Temple, a day ahead of the ritual held daily at 5.30 am.

Sridevi, who got a phone call early on Thursday, came out of the room as signals inside were weak. She was sauntering in the passage on the second floor while talking over mobile and fell into the elevator shaft, without a gate. She yelled for help but nobody heard.

She was noticed by Vinayagam and taken to local hospital where doctors declared her brought dead. He alleged that the temple management’s negligence claimed her life. There was neither a safety wall to the elevator shaft nor light in the passage. A case was registered.

Meanwhile, devotees and locals blamed the Devasthanam management for poor safety measures in the guest house.