A three-year-old boy died after falling into an open lift shaft at an under-construction building in Central Kolkata’s Entally area Wednesday evening.

According to local police sources, the victim, identified as Pritam Rajbanshi, had gone to the roof of the four-storey building at 4/51 Convent Lane with his mother, Kajal Kumari, to collect laundry around 4.30 pm.

The sources added that Kumari asked the toddler to start going downstairs ahead of her. However, when she reached the lower floors, she found that the child was missing.

The family immediately reported the disappearance to the Entally Police Station, prompting a search of the building and the surrounding area. During the search, officers found the boy unconscious at the bottom of the lift duct on the ground floor. He was rushed to NRS Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him “brought dead”.

Preliminary investigations indicate the child suffered severe head injuries consistent with a fall from height.

Although the family has not filed a formal complaint and the police have ruled out foul play at this stage, the body has been sent for a post-mortem examination to confirm the exact cause of death.

The boy’s death has raised serious concerns about safety measures at under-construction sites in the area.