Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has directed the state government to pay ₹5 lakh in compensation to Ravindran Nair, a patient who was trapped in a medical college hospital lift for nearly 42 hours.

The incident occurred from 11:15 am on July 13, 2025, to 6 am on July 15, 2025, and was attributed to gross negligence and dereliction of duty by hospital authorities. The lift had no warning signs and lacked an operator during prescribed hours, putting the patient’s life at serious risk.

Justice Alexander Thomas, chairperson of KSHRC, ordered that Nair also receive necessary medical and psychological care free of cost. The government may later recover the compensation from responsible officials or initiate legal action against the lift maintenance company if lapses are found.

The commission noted that while the victim had sought a higher amount, ₹5 lakh was deemed reasonable, emphasizing the severity of the negligence and the risk to life.