A Worli housing society has allegedly barred a flat owner from using the elevators, and the latter has now alleged that the ban caused the death of a domestic help while he was climbing down the stairs from the 31st floor. Rajkumar Gupta, 27, who was a domestic help for Kanaka Lata Poddaar's family, died of 'acute respiratory distress syndrome, with severe cerebral edema', according to the post-mortem report.

Poddaar alleged that this was because Gupta was forced to climb up and down several flights of stairs over several weeks. Poddaar lives in the 40-storey RNA Mirage in Worli, which also houses some of the city's top bureaucrats and business honchos. She alleged that her family and workers have been barred from using the lifts due to a dispute over maintenance dues. Poddaar said the society has labelled her a defaulter for not paying Rs 30,000/month maintenance fee for one of her flats.