Basketball court accidents kill two teens, including national level player

Chandigarh: A junior national level basketball player and another teen died in eerily similar accidents during practice in Haryana after the basketball hoop’s iron pole fell on them, police said on Wednesday as the twin tragedies put a spotlight on crumbling sports infrastructure in the state.

While 16-year-old Hardik Rathi, who had taken part in the national sub-junior basketball championship, died in Rohtak on Tuesday, Aman, one year younger, breathed his last on Monday.

The incidents, which came to light on Wednesday, led to outrage with Opposition parties slamming the BJP-led state government and anguished family members joining them in blaming the establishment for dilapidated sports infrastructure.

Hardik’s death was captured in vivid detail on CCTV cameras. The footage showed the youngster reaching for the hoop. As soon as he attempts to hang from it, the pole collapses and crushes him under it.

The rods supporting the basketball pole were rusted, local players at the Lakhan Majra village who practice with him told reporters. They rushed Hardik to a hospital where he died, SHO Samarjeet Singh said.

Khadak Singh, Hardik’s cousin, said the condition of the iron pole had been brought to the notice of the officials on multiple occasions but nothing was done to fix it.

Holding the sports department and the government responsible for his brother’s death, which he alleged was not a death but murder, Khadak Singh told reporters that Hardik never missed any competition, be it U-14 or U-17. It was his dream to lead the Indian basketball team one day.

“Hardik trained twice a day. As soon as he tried to touch the hoop on Tuesday morning, it got uprooted and fell on his chest, leading to internal bleeding, which proved fatal, he said.

Haryana Development and Panchayat Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said, “Haryana Olympic Association will write to sports and education departments to carry out inspection of the sports equipment, infrastructure and immediately replace the damaged one.”

Minister of State for Sports Gaurav Gautam told reporters in Ambala that a high-level probe will be held and anyone found responsible for the sad and unfortunate incident will face action.

“We have suspended the district sports officer,” he said when asked about Hardik’s death.

“As per information, it was a sports nursery under the panchayat and the activities there have been halted for now,” Gautam said.

He said the tragedy is a profound shock to the entire sports world.

The incident is unacceptable at any level, he added.

In the wake of the two incidents, the minister has also called a meeting of district sports officials on November 28.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini told reporters here Wednesday morning that he will first gather all the details before commenting on the matter. Officials in Rohtak and Bahadurgarh said the circumstances leading to the collapse of the iron poles in both incidents, including the condition of the equipment, are being probed.

On Sunday, Aman went to the basketball court in the premises of a government school for practice. He was critically injured after the iron pole fell on him and died at PGIMS Rohtak during treatment on Monday night, SHO (City) Dinkar Yadav said.