Hyderabad: CEO of US-based firm attempts to enter company’s silver jubilee celebrations in an ‘Iron cage’, dies after cage falls due to malfunction

According to police, Shah and Datla were being descended onto the stage in an iron platform from a height of about 20 feet when one of the iron wires supporting the platform snapped, leading to their fall.

The founder-CEO of a US-based tech company lost his life, while another official sustained severe injuries, after an “Iron cage” suffered a malfunction during the company’s corporate event at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. Following the accident, police have registered a case for negligence and an investigation is currently underway.

The deceased has been identified as Sanjay Shah, 56, who was the CEO of Illinois-based firm Vistex. The company president Raju Datla has sustained grievous injuries in the same mishap and is currently undergoing treatment.

In the video clip of the tragic accident, the duo can be seen falling off the Iron cage after the chains holding the cage snapped, and hitting the platform below hard.

On Friday (19th January), Police said that the CEO of a private firm lost his life, while another official suffered serious injury in a freak accident during the silver jubilee celebrations of the company at Ramoji Film City. 

Police added that during the celebrations on Thursday evening, the company’s CEO Sanjay Shah, and his colleague Raju Datla entered an iron cage, which was to be lowered from a height when the iron chain supporting the cage broke on one side, and both of them fell. 

Following the tragic accident, the duo were rushed to the hospital, but Sanjay Shah passed away while undergoing treatment. 

According to police, Shah and Datla were being descended onto the stage in an iron platform from a height of about 20 feet when one of the iron wires supporting the platform snapped, leading to their fall.

Police added that based on a complaint by a company official, a case was registered against the Film City event management authorities. An FIR has been registered at Abdullapurmet police station under sections 304 A (causing death by a rash or negligent act), 336 (endangering human life or personal safety of others), 287 (negligent conduct concerning machinery) of the Indian Penal Code. The management of Ramoji Film City, the event management company, and others responsible for the safe conduct of the event have been booked.

As per information, both Shah and Datla are US citizens and they had arrived in Hyderabad for a two-day event to celebrate the company’s 25 years with employees of the Hyderabad branch. 

Speaking to Indian Express, Sub-Inspector D Karnakar Reddy said, “It was just the beginning of the two-day event. The father, mother, wife, and brothers of the deceased were present in the audience. Around 680 people from the Hyderabad branch were also in the audience.”

Mumbai-based Sanjay Shah had set up Vistex as an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions firm in 1999. Around 20 years ago, he moved to the US. 

At present, the company has 20 global offices and employs over 2,000 individuals. Additionally, Shah established the Vistex Foundation and the Vistex Institute for Executive Learning and Research at Lehigh University. Datla has been associated with Vistex since the year 2000.