A daughter of Jammu, Muskan Arora, has appealed for justice for her mother, Kanchan Arora, who died due to alleged negligence of Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) when an elevator malfunctioned.
Kanchan Arora reportedly suffered critical injuries after being caught between the doors of an elevator inside the hospital. Her daughter, Muskan Arora, said 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 told The Tribune newspaper.
Kanchan Arora 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 stated that her mother fought for her life in ICU of the hospital for six days but the damage from the delayed rescue from the elevator was the result of her death. “The family wants the truth to be revealed. My mother did not collapse, she was trapped inside the elevator” Muskan said.
Muskan called for a transparent investigation and safety audit of the hospital elevators and infrastructure to prevent future tragedies. “We also demand justice and accountability from hospital authorities and the health department of J&K” she said.
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.