Ride operator, staff held after Surajkund fair tragedy kills 1, injures 12

Accused booked under BNS Section 105; SIT formed to probe mechanical failure. Rides shut till probe ends; govt announces compensation and job for inspector’s kin.

Two men– including the owner of the company operating the swing – were arrested on Sunday after a 360-degree pendulum swing ride collapsed at the ongoing 39th Surajkund International Atmanirbhar Craft Festival in Faridabad on Saturday evening. A 59-year-old police inspector, Jagdish Prasad, involved in rescue operations died in the crash and 12 others were injured, officials said.

Accused booked under BNS Section 105; SIT formed to probe mechanical failure. Rides shut till probe ends; govt announces compensation and job for inspector’s kin. (Subhash Sharma/HT)

The arrested accused are Mohammad Shakir, resident of Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh and proprietor of Himachal Fun Care that installed the swings in the Surajkund fair ground; and Nitesh (single name), a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut. Nitesh is Shakir’s associate and works with him in managing and operating the ride.

The two were arrested under Section 105 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The ninth day of the festival on Sunday began with two-minutes of silence to pay tribute to the police officer who died.

On Saturday evening, the electrical swing ride, which had atleast 26 people on board, detached from its axis while taking a 180° turn mid-air on Saturday evening.

“Two teams headed by the additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of Faridabad, Satbir Singh, and deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Mukesh Kumar, will investigate the matter from all aspects. The arrested accused will be interrogated thoroughly and a police remand will be sought,” said Yashpal Yadav, public relations officer of Faridabad police.

The district administration officials on Sunday confirmed that four out of the eight injured patients admitted to Supreme Hospital have been discharged after treatment, while four others are currently stable and under supervision. “Additionally, four injured patients, including two female constables, admitted to BK Civil Hospital have been discharged after treatment,” Yadav said.

The Haryana Police has constituted a special investigative team (SIT) headed by DCP Kumar, along with the additional commissioners of police (ACPs) and the station in-charge of Surajkund police station. Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini announced ₹1 lakh compensation for those critically injured during the incident.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner of Faridabad, Ayush Sinha, ADC Singh and other senior district administration officials inspected the fairground on Sunday before the fest was reopened for visitors. “The rides will remain shut until the investigations are complete for the safety of the crowd,” the DC added.

As per DC Sinha, an expert committee comprising members of the police, YMCA University’s mechanical department HOD, and two executive engineers (XEN) has been formed, which will investigate the mechanical failure and discrepancies that led to the accident.

Police have also announced a ₹1 crore compensation for the late inspector Prasad’s family, along with a government job assurance for one family member. Director General of Haryana Police, Ajay Singhal, said on Saturday that Prasad will be conferred with the status of martyr.

Prasad joined the Haryana Armed Police in 1989 and was posted as the station in-charge of Chadhat police station in Palwal. He was about to retire in March.