Amit Shah Trapped in Lift, BJP Seeks Probe

“A total of five persons – Shah, Bihar BJP in-charge Bhupender Yadav, senior party leader Saudan Singh, state BJP organisational secretary Nagendra and Shah’s personal assistant Krupal Pandya – entered the lift around 11.15pm yesterday to travel to the first floor”.

Blaming the state government for the incident, state BJP chief CP Thakur said “conspiracy” can not be ruled out. There was no lift operator or person capable of handling such emergency situation around. “Anything could have happened had the security personnel not broken open the lift doors”, state BJP president Mangal Pandey told the media today adding the party leaders remained trapped inside for around 40 minutes. They had to tear apart steel doors of the elevator to pull out Shah and other leaders trapped inside. On this, Lalu Prasad Yadav cracked a joke and said that Shah should not have used a small elevator.

Lalu also taunted Shah, and said the former is thinking of his own development and not the nation’s. In June this year, chief minister Nitish Kumar, referring to World Yoga Day, had asked Shah to practise yoga at home first before performing in public. It is maintained by the state building construction department.

Shah was scheduled to be in Patna for two days, ostensibly in preparation for the Bihar polls, and was set to leave on Friday.

Shah and three other leaders were trapped in the lift for around 40 minutes late on Thursday night.

He was ultimately rescued by CRPF personnel who were present there as part of his Z+ security cover. Shishir Sinha, Principal Secretary, Cabinet Coordination, later said the lift malfunctioning was caused by overloading. They said it might have well been a “conspiracy” against the party president.