E-Paper
Haryana: Ride operator, staff held after Surajkund tragedy
Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini announced relief and expressed grief over the incident, terming it “extremely painful”, and assured strict action to prevent such mishaps in the future
A day after a swing ride collapsed at the Surajkund International Crafts Mela in Faridabad, claiming the life of a police inspector and injuring 12 people, the Haryana government on Sunday arrested two persons, registered an FIR and constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the incident.
Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini announced relief and expressed grief over the incident, terming it “extremely painful”, and assured strict action to prevent such mishaps in the future. He announced that one member of the family of inspector Jagdish Prasad, who died during rescue operations, would be given a government job.
Saini also announced an ex-gratia of ₹1 lakh for each injured person, adding that the state government would bear the entire cost of their medical treatment.
Providing an update on the injured, the government said that of the eight persons admitted to a private hospital in Faridabad, four have been discharged after treatment, while the remaining four are undergoing treatment under the supervision of a medical team. Four other injured persons who were admitted to BK Civil Hospital have also been discharged.
The chief minister directed the concerned departments to fix responsibility and ensure strict enforcement of safety norms at public events to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
A police spokesperson said a three-member special investigation team has been formed to investigate the case. An FIR has been registered against Mohammad Shakir, proprietor of Himachal Fun Care Company, under sections including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other relevant provisions of law.
Police said Shakir, a resident of Toka Nangla village in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh, whose company installed the swings at the mela, and another accused, Nitesh, a resident of Dharmapuri, Sadar Meerut Cantt in Uttar Pradesh, have been arrested. The role of other persons involved is being examined, the spokesperson added.
‘Gross administrative negligence’: AAP
Senior AAP leader Anurag Dhanda on Sunday blamed the BJP-led Haryana government for the Surajkund swing tragedy, calling it a result of “gross administrative negligence”. He accused a state minister of evading responsibility by terming the incident “God’s will”. Haryana tourism minister Arvind Sharma said the swing had been certified safe by the district administration.
