The defence spokesperson said emergency services were pressed into action immediately and the lift doors were opened in the presence of civil police. "The woman was rushed to INHS Asvini hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival," he added.

The Cuffe Parade police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) and are conducting a parallel investigation with the Naval authorities.

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The investigating team has also written to the lift maintenance department to ascertain if there was any technical glitch in the elevator which led to the accident.

"The services of all the elevators in the buildings at Naval base are given to private contractors through Military Engineering Service (MES). Prima facie, it seems there was technical glitch, but the police are investigating. We are also conducting an internal probe into the incident in cooperation with the Mumbai police," said a senior official from the Indian Navy, on condition of anonymity.

Rajendra Dongre, senior inspector, Cuffe Parade police station, said, "The deceased was a full-time domestic help at the house of Colonel working in the Indian Navy. Her post-mortem was conducted at JJ hospital and investigations are underway."

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