Police arrest ride operator, staff in Surajkund swing collapse case

NEW DELHI: Police on Sunday arrested the swing operator and one of his staff members, a day after an on-duty inspector was killed and 12 others were injured when a giant ‘Tsunami’ ride snapped mid-air and crashed at the Surajkund fairgrounds in Faridabad. The accident occurred on Saturday evening during the 39th Surajkund International Crafts Mela. Around 19 people were on the ride when it suddenly tilted and collapsed to the ground. Inspector Jagdish Prasad, 58, died while attempting to rescue those trapped in the swing, officials said. He had joined the Haryana Armed Police in 1989 and was scheduled to retire in March after completing 36 years of service. His body was handed over to his family on Sunday following a post-mortem examination. “A special investigation team formed to probe the incident has arrested two accused – Mohammad Shakir, a resident of Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmour district, and the proprietor of Himachal Fun Care that operated the giant swing, and Nitesh from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, who worked under Shakir. The role of others is being examined,” Yashpal, spokesperson for the Faridabad police told news agency PTI. The 12 injured include female Assistant Sub-Inspector Neelam, female constable Sharmila, Special Police Officer Rajesh, and civilians Harsh Prakash, Prashant, Amisha, Parvinder, Sunil, Shivani, Balbir, Anuj and Pooja.

Five of them have been discharged after treatment, Yashpal said. Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini directed officials on Sunday to ensure strict compliance with safety standards at the fair and other public events. “The government stands firmly with the family of Jagdish Prasad in this difficult time. Those seriously injured in the accident will receive financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each from the state government,” Saini said. The district administration said the fair would continue on Sunday, though the area around the swing has been cordoned off pending investigation. On Saturday night, Haryana director general of police (DGP) Ajay Singhal announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for Prasad’s family and a government job for one of his relatives. He also said the inspector would be accorded martyr status. “Inspector Jagdish Prasad made a commendable effort to rescue the injured while on duty.

His death is a profound tragedy for the police department. “The department will provide financial assistance to the family as much as possible, and employment will be provided to an eligible member under the compassionate leave policy,” the DGP said. On Sunday, DGP Singhal and Faridabad Commissioner Satendra Kumar Gupta met Prasad’s family to offer condolences and later visited the hospital to inquire about the injured. Tourism Director Parth Gupta and Faridabad Deputy Commissioner Ayush Sinha also inspected the fairgrounds to review security arrangements. Officials said the accident took place barely an hour after a gate collapsed at the venue, injuring two people, including a child. Police had earlier constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team led by DCP (Crime) Mukesh Kumar. The team includes ACP (Crime) Varun Dahiya and Sub-Inspector Sanjay Kumar of Surajkund police station.

The SIT has been tasked with conducting a detailed probe, determining whether there was negligence, and examining compliance with safety norms. According to a complaint filed by assistant sub-inspector Sunny, he and Inspector Prasad were on duty at the fair when they noticed several people riding the ‘Tsunami’ swing. As the ride snapped mid-air, Prasad attempted to rescue those trapped. The swing then broke from one side and fell, causing serious injuries.

Prasad later died in hospital. “The death of the inspector was caused due to the deliberate endangerment of people's lives by Himachal Fun Fair’s proprietor Mohammad Shakir and his staff, who did not maintain the safety standards,” the ASI stated in his complaint. Separately, the district administration has formed an inquiry committee headed by additional deputy commissioner-cum-Mela Administrator Satbir Singh. The panel includes DCP Maqsood Ahmed, Arvind Gupta, Head of the Mechanical Department at YMCA University, Hitesh Kumar, Executive Engineer (Mechanical), and Ashwini Gaur, Executive Engineer (Electrical).