A shocking incident unfolded at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College when a 59-year-old man was discovered trapped in an elevator for nearly 48 hours. The ordeal came to light on Monday morning when routine maintenance operations resumed.


Ravindran Nair, a resident of Ulloor and an employee of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, had accompanied his wife to the hospital on Saturday, he was having a backache. After his wife, a hospital staff member, returned to her duties post-consultation, Nair attempted to leave the premises. It was then that he entered the lift in the Outpatient (OP) Block, unaware of the harrowing experience that awaited him.


According to Nair's account, the elevator descended and became stuck between floors. Despite his repeated attempts to sound the alarm and use the emergency phone inside the lift, his cries for help went unanswered. The situation was exacerbated when his personal mobile phone fell and broke during the ordeal.


"I pressed every emergency number listed, but to no avail," Nair recounted. "As time passed, I realized it was the weekend, which explained the lack of response. Eventually, I lost all sense of time within the confined space."


The rescue finally occurred on Monday when a lift operator arrived for routine work. Hearing Nair's alarm, they managed to force open the doors, allowing him to escape his inadvertent prison.


Hari Shankar, Nair's son, expressed concern over his father's state, noting that the prolonged confinement had left him visibly shaken. The family had not immediately reported Nair missing, assuming he was working extended hours.


Surprisingly, the hospital staff remained oblivious to Nair's predicament throughout the weekend. There were no indications that the elevator was out of service, raising questions about safety protocols and maintenance procedures.


In response to this alarming incident, Health Minister Veena George has instructed the Director of Medical Education to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.