‘Forced’ to work, teen crushed to death by lift at Delhi factory

Police said the lift is a mechanical one mainly used to carry heavy goods. Alok was struggling with the ropes when he slipped and got trapped in the lift shaft on the second floor. Right then, someone got inside the lift on the ground floor. When the lift came up, Alok got crushed, police said, adding that his body was found dangling amid the wires.

A PCR call about the incident was made around 3 pm. Alok was rushed to a hospital by factory workers and his family, but succumbed to injuries. A senior police officer said, “He suffered multiple injuries. He was caught in the high-tension wires and got electrocuted. He was also crushed when the lift came up.”

“His mother works at the same factory. Initially, we were told that she brought him with her, and he was playing. However, the mother has alleged that he was pushed to work… by her employers,” said the officer who refused to be named.

Police said they are registering an FIR against the factory owner and floor manager under charges of causing death due to negligence and negligence with machinery/building. “Legal action will be taken as per the offence. We are checking if the boy was pushed into labour. If yes, the accused will be booked under Labour Act as well,” said another officer.

Meanwhile, the family staged protests against the factory owner. Anju, the boy’s aunt, alleged, “My sister went with her two kids to work. The factory manager pushed her son to work. We had told him that we don’t want money and don’t want our child to work but he kept pushing and later asked Alok to work as a lift supervisor. How can a 15-year-old work at the lift? He got trapped and died. It is all their fault.”

Ajay, the boy’s uncle, claimed, “We had to cut the wire to remove his body… he was crushed…”