Hero cop killed during rescue at Surajkund fair was days away from retirement

Inspector Jagdish Prasad, a 58-year-old officer of the Haryana Police, lost his life while trying to save people after a joyride collapsed at the Surajkund International Crafts Festival in Faridabad on Saturday evening. Prasad, who was due to retire next month, is being remembered by colleagues and seniors as a courageous and dedicated policeman who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

A native of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Jagdish Prasad joined the Haryana Armed Police in 1989 and served in the force for nearly 36 years.

A senior police officer said that over the course of his career, he earned a reputation for discipline and commitment to public safety. His service was formally recognised when he was awarded the Police Medal by the Haryana governor in 2019–20.

His impending retirement had been a frequent topic of conversation among his colleagues and family, who were preparing for a new phase of life after decades of service.

Prasad is survived by his wife Sudha, two daughters—Nidhi and Deepti—and a son, Gaurav, all of whom are students.

The family resides in government accommodation at the Sonipat Police Lines. His brother Pradeep said the family received news of the tragedy around 8 pm on Saturday, describing it as an unimaginable loss just weeks before Prasad was to hang up his uniform for the last time.

The fatal incident occurred at around 6.15 pm at the Surajkund fairgrounds when a giant swing, popularly known as the 'tsunami' joyride, malfunctioned.

According to officials, the ride tilted dangerously before snapping midair and crashing to the ground. Inspector Prasad noticed the instability and rushed towards the ride, attempting to help people escape as panic broke out.

While pulling people to safety, a portion of the collapsing swing struck him on the head and face, causing critical injuries.

He was rushed to a private hospital in Faridabad, where he later succumbed to his injuries. In total, 19 people were injured in the accident, including two women police constables and several visitors. Most of the injured are reported to be out of danger.

Deputy Commissioner Ayush Sinha confirmed that the injured were immediately taken to hospital and that the inspector who tried to rescue people was declared dead during treatment. Senior police officers described Prasad’s death as an irreparable loss to the force.

In the aftermath, Haryana Director General of Police Ajay Singhal announced compensation of Rs 1 crore for Prasad’s family and a government job for one family member. He also stated that Prasad would be accorded martyr status for his sacrifice.

Police have arrested two accused, including Mohammad Shakir, the proprietor of Himachal Fun Care, the firm that installed the swing. A case has been registered against the swing vendor.

A three-member Special Investigation Team, supervised by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), has been constituted to probe the incident, examine safety lapses, and fix responsibility for the tragedy.

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With PTI inputs