03/08/2026
An 80-year-old retired engineer, Kumaraswamy, lost his life in a tragic elevator accident at the Dattatreya Swamy Temple in Vinayaka Nagar, Shivamogga, Karnataka, on Sunday morning. According to police, Kumaraswamy had left his home around 7:30 am after informing his wife, Lalitha Kumaraswamy, that he would first undergo a blood test at the Rotary Blood Bank before visiting the temple.
Investigators said the accident occurred when Kumaraswamy pressed the elevator button to travel to an upper floor. Believing the lift had arrived, he reportedly opened the manual outer door and stepped into the shaft. However, the elevator cabin was on a higher floor. As it descended, it struck him and pinned him beneath the lift, causing fatal injuries.
Personnel from the Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services rescued him from the shaft and rushed him to McGann District Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Following a complaint filed by his wife at the Jayanagar Police Station, police registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR).
Authorities have inspected the elevator system to determine whether a mechanical failure or safety lapse allowed the manual door to open while the lift was not present. The body was sent for post-mortem before being handed over to the family. Shivamogga police said the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Source:
The New Indian Express, Deccan Herald, Shivamogga Police
Shivamogga, Elevator accident, Kumaraswamy, Temple lift, Karnataka, Police investigation