One said to be critical; relatives say kids, both aged 11, collided into collapsible door of Goregaon building, causing it to break and give way, during kabaddi game
Vignesh Mahatre and Rudhra Susvirkar, both 11, were playing kabaddi in the passage of the third floor of the R-1 Building in Mitha Nagar, Goregaon West, on Wednesday night
What began as an innocent game of kabaddi turned into a nightmare late Wednesday night, when two boys aged 11 fell from the third floor into a lift shaft of a residential building in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar SRA CHS Ltd in Goregaon West’s Mitha Nagar area. The incident occurred around 10 pm at the R-1 Building, leaving one child battling for life.
According to preliminary information, Vignesh Mahatre and Rudhra Susvirkar were playing kabaddi with other children in a passage near the lift. During the game, the boys accidentally collided with the lift’s grill, causing its lower portion to break off and the entire frame to give way inward, and both children plunged straight into the duct.
Around 10 pm, while the children were pushing and tackling each other, they collided into the grill of a 21-year-old lift, causing it to break and give away
Residents rushed to the scene after hearing screams. Society youths acted swiftly and rescued the boys, carrying them to nearby hospitals. Vignesh, who fell first, sustained severe head and chest injuries and was initially taken to Kapadia Hospital, then shifted to SRV Hospital, and later admitted to Kokilaben Hospital, where doctors have described his condition as critical and placed him in a special care unit. Rudhra, who fell on top of Vignesh, suffered fractures to his hand and leg but is reported to be stable and undergoing treatment at a private hospital. Speaking to mid-day, Vignesh’s cousin Divyansh Mohite said he arrived at the building moments after the accident and saw residents carrying the injured children. “We later learned they were playing kabaddi. During the game, both hit the lift grill, which broke. Vignesh fell first and suffered serious head injuries after hitting the broken grill,” he said.
Further inquiry revealed that Vignesh is a Std V student of a Goregaon-based school and lives in R-4 Building with his parents and two sisters. Vignesh frequently visited the nearby R-1 Building, where his grandmother resides.
Vignesh plunged down the lift shaft first after the lift grill broke, suffering serious head injuries on impact; (right) Rudhra fell on top of Vignesh, suffering fractures to his hand and leg but is reported to be in stable condition. Illustrations/Uday Mohite
Rudhra, a Std V student at St Thomas School, lives on the second floor of R-1 Building with his parents.
How did it happen?
The lift is nearly 21 years old and undergoes routine servicing every month. “Greasing and maintenance are done regularly, but how the grill snapped remains a mystery. Had it been replaced in time, this tragedy might have been avoided,” said Mohite.
Vignesh Mahatre, who suffered serious head injuries; (right) Rudhra Susvirkar, who fractured his hand and leg
Another youth, Arnav Kadam, told mid-day that he and his friends helped pull the children out of the duct before rushing them to the hospital. The incident has left Vignesh’s mother, Sheetal, and grandmother, Suman, deeply traumatised and unable to speak.
The Goregaon police officers confirmed that a panchnama of the spot had been conducted. Officers from the lift department also visited the building, and a detailed investigation is underway to determine whether negligence or faulty maintenance led to the accident.
The building in Mitha Nagar, Goregaon West, where the mishap occurred; (centre) the broken grill of the 21-year-old lift on the third floor of R-1 Building of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar SRA CHS Ltd; (right) the shaft through which the children fell. Pics/Satej Shinde
The lift department officials were contacted, but they did not pick up mid-day’s calls. Messages were also sent; however, no response was received by press time.
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