Basketball court accidents kill two teens including national level player in Rohtak Bahadurgarh

    Chandigarh, Nov 26 (PTI) 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, the twin tragedies putting a spotlight on crumbling sports infrastructure in the state, police said on Wednesday.
     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 elder brother, 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, Khadak Singh told reporters that his brother 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's 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," Gautam said.
     Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini told reporters here 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 a basketball court in the premises of a government school for practice. He was critically injured after an iron pole fell on him and died at PGIMS Rohtak during treatment on Monday night, SHO (City) Dinkar Yadav said.
     "We came to know that the pole was not in good shape and some children had climbed it and it fell," said Jhajjar District Sports Officer Satender Kumar.
     He also claimed that Congress MP Deepender Hooda got two grounds built in the village, and in 2023 sanctioned Rs 11 lakh from his MPLADS funds but the officials concerned sat over it and did not repair the basketball pole.
     Those who witnessed Hardik’s accident were traumatised.
     "We were practicing and Hardik was playing with us. When we took a short break, he continued his practice,” said Rohit, a budding basketball player.
     Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the Congress demands an impartial, high-level investigation into this matter and strict action against the "culprits".
     He alleged that the BJP government in Haryana is treating sports and athletes like enemies.
     "This is why two promising young players Hardik and Aman tragically died when a dilapidated basketball poles collapsed," the former chief minister said in a statement.
     "This is not a simple accident or a normal death, but a death caused by sheer government negligence. Hardik was a national-level player with a bright future, having already signed with a club in the United States," Hooda said.
     Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala termed Hardik's death a murder by the system, and not an accident.
     Congress MP from Rohtak, Deepender Singh Hooda, alleged that sports equipment and infrastructure in stadiums are lying in a dilapidated condition. The way two lives have been lost, it is no less than criminal negligence for which the government is responsible, he said.
     Haryana is known as India's sporting powerhouse. Its players bring in a rich haul of medals at international tournaments.
     "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," said Haryana Development and Panchayat Minister Krishan Lal Panwar.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)