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Twin basketball tragedies in Haryana: Stadiums not under dept’s control: Officials write to DG sports
Hardik Rathi, 16, who had participated in the national sub-junior basketball championship, died in Rohtak on November 25 after the basketball hoop’s iron pole fell on him
Sports officials, including the under suspension Rohtak district sports officer Anoop Singh has written to the department to clarify that the two stadiums, where a 16-year-old junior national-level basketball player and another teenager, died in eerily similar accidents during practice in Haryana last week, were not under the control and management of the sports department.
Hardik Rathi, 16, who had participated in the national sub-junior basketball championship, died in Rohtak on November 25 after the basketball hoop’s iron pole fell on him. Jhajjar’s Aman, 15, lost his life in similar accident on November 24.
In a letter to Haryana director general sports, Jhajjar district sports officer Satender Kumar on November 26 said that the basketball court where Aman died while practising at Sahid Brigadier Hoshiar Singh stadium in Bahadurgarh is not under the control and management of the sports department. “The sports department had built a wrestling hall at this stadium and coach Sanjay Kumar is running a wrestling nursery here. The sports department has not started any coaching arena for basketball at Sahid Brigadier Hoshiar Singh stadium in Bahadurgarh. The sports department is not responsible for this incident,” he added.
Replying to director general of sports, pertaining to Lakhan Majra incident where a 16-year-old national player Hardik Rathi died, suspended Rohtak sports officer Anoop Singh on November 26 in a letter wrote that the basketball court where Hardik died comes under Lakhan Majra block samiti and the sports department is managing Rajiv Gandhi stadium in Lakhan Majra. “The sports department has allotted only a Kabaddi nursery in Lakhan Majra. The basketball court where the incident occurred is being run by a private coach Mohit, who is associated with yuva sports club of Lakhan Majra,” he said.
Rohtak sports division deputy director Sunita Khatri reiterated the same thing in letter sent to sports department on November 26, 27 regarding the Rohtak, Bahadurgarh incidents respectively.
Hardik had won medals in several competitions, including the 47th sub-junior national championship in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra, the 49th sub-junior national championship in Hyderabad and the 39th Youth National Championship in Puducherry.
Haryana sports minister Gaurav Gautam could not be reached for a comment despite numerous attempts to clarify the suspension issue of the Rohtak sports officer.
Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda alleged that two youngsters lost their lives due to the government’s callousness. “The government should immediately take responsibility and support both families. Each family should be given a government job, a compensation of ₹1 crore. An indoor basketball stadium should be built in Lakhan Majra village, named after Hardik Rathi, our national player. I have issued a calling attention notice regarding this matter in the winter session of the parliament,” he added.
