“The escalator that ate a child.” Sounds like an urban legend, or a punchline to a joke about the silly things that children are afraid of, right? Unfortunately, this is real, and not at all funny.

The apex consumer court has ordered Airports Authority of India (AAI) to pay Rs 16.5 lakh as compensation to parents of a seven-year-old girl who died after being trapped in the escalator at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here five years ago. Jyotsna Jethani had come to India from Dubai on December 13, 1999 for her uncle’s wedding. But she met with a horrifying death soon after landing when she was sucked into a hole at the base of the escalator, which is maintained by AAI. The comb plate sliced her face and her body was crushed.

[Source: Times of India]

Looks like criminal negligance to me, but I’m doubtful that anybody will be held accountable.