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ShareNEW DELHI: A three-year-old NRI girl was seriously injured after her hand got trapped in a moving escalator at the Indira Gandhi International airport early on Thursday.
The US-based girl, Shehsha, was visiting India with her mother on vacation. The incident brought back shocking memories of the painful death of seven-year-old Jyotsana Jethani , who too was caught in a moving escalator at IGI airport in 1999.
Airport sources said Shehsha was with her mother, Sreestha, who was at the immigration counter of the international terminal's busy arrival wing. Seeing the nearby escalator, the girl climbed a few stairs. "But the escalator suddenly began moving downwards.
The girl lost balance and her hand got stuck," said an airport official on condition of anonymity. Shehsha shrieked and cried for help, alerting her mother, who came running towards the moving escalator.
Without wasting any time, Sreestha switched off the emergency button bringing the escalator to stand still. But the girl's hand was stuck.
"The girl kept crying as her hand got stuck, her fingers were almost crushed between the metal sheet and floor," said the official.The duty manager was informed and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) swung into action. Some airport officials rushed to the spot and immediately dismantled a portion of the escalator stair.
The girl's hand was profusely bleeding and she was taken to the Indian Spinal Injury Centre for a medical-check before being transferred to another hospital.
DIAL officials explained that the escalator was sensor operated and started the moment the girl's feet touched it. Airport sources said there was no attendant. The escalator is meant to come down from the first floor and when not in use it looks like any other flight of stairs. There have been accidents before but Thursday's was the worst.
k_yogesh@dnaindia.net
