Mumbai girl killed in an elevator days before wedding

A 23-year-old woman, busy with last-minute preparations for her wedding, was killed while trying to get into the elevator of a Malad society building on Sunday night.

Alia Waraliya, the deceased, was trapped when the automatic door shut and the elevator started moving up. Police are probing whether Alia was blocking the door as she had been gesturing to her mother to enter after her. Alia lived with her parents and three siblings at Pathanwadi in Malad (East). Relatives informed that Alia was to tie the knot next month.

Alia along with her mother reached the building's ground floor around 8pm and called for the elevator. "Two other people were already inside the elevator. Alia was halfway in while her mother stood behind her. She was asking her mother to step into the elevator when the doors shut suddenly and lift began the ascent. The elevator started moving upwards with Alia's body stuck in the door while her head smashed against the concrete slab of the entrance to the elevator," said Jaychandra Kathe, senior inspector, Kurar police.

As Alia's mother began to scream the horrified occupants of the elevator also were in panic action punching buttons and trying to force open the doors. Eventually, the building's watchman managed to bring Alia out from the first floor. The floor as well as the elevator was covered with blood and when injured Alia was rushed to a private hospital in Malad (East) she was pronounced brought dead. "Alia suffered multiple injuries, fractures to her head, fractures to her collar bone besides injuries to the groin," said a forensic expert who conducted the autopsy.

The police are investigating whether there had been negligence on anyone's part. As of now, only a case of accidental death has been registered. Bombay Lift Act, 1939, specifies that the public works department (PWD) must inspect elevators twice a year. The department, though, has a severe manpower crunch.