[BUG] npm install fails silently with "Exit handler never called" error

[srimathivadivel]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

Current Behavior

When running npm install in a project directory, the installation fails with the following error:

npm ERR! Exit handler never called!
npm ERR! This is an error with npm itself. Please report this error at:
npm ERR!     <https://github.com/npm/cli/issues>

### Expected Behavior

Expected Behavior
- npm should complete the installation of packages successfully
- If there are errors, they should be properly caught and handled by the exit handler
- Clear error messages should be provided about what went wrong

### Steps To Reproduce

Steps To Reproduce
1) Navigate to project directory
2) Run npm install
3) Process fails immediately with "Exit handler never called" error

### Environment

Environment
- npm -v: [Please run npm -v and paste output here]
- node -v: v20.2.0
- OS: macOS
- System Model: MacBook Pro
- Please also run npm config ls and paste the relevant (non-sensitive) configuration settings

[milaninfy]

this error can arise for a number of reasons; Please read this document and edit this issue with as much information as possible if you're able to consistently reproduce this error, like your package json, npm and node version, error log, lock-file, config and steps to reproduce this error.

[milaninfy]

Closing due to age. If this is still a problem please feel free to reopen this issue, or create a new issue w/ steps to reproduce.