Faridabad/Chandigarh, February 8 A day after a swing collapsed at the Surajkund fairgrounds in Faridabad, killing an on-duty inspector during rescue efforts and injuring 12 others, two people were arrested on Sunday as the opposition blamed the tragedy on the government's negligence.
The tragedy occurred at the 39th Surajkund International Crafts Mela on Saturday evening, when about 19 people were riding the swing before it suddenly tilted and then crashed onto the ground. Inspector Jagdish Prasad, who was on duty at the venue, died trying to save people.
Later, an FIR was filed, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) in Faridabad to investigate the collapse of the giant ‘Tsunami’ swing, according to Haryana DGP Ajay Singhal.
So far, the team has arrested two accused – Mohammad Shakir, the owner 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, a spokesperson for Faridabad police, said.
The 12 injured in the accident include ASI Neelam, female constable Sharmila, SPO Rajesh, Harsh Prakash, Prashant, Amisha, Parvinder, Sunil, Shivani, Balbir, Anuj and Pooja, Faridabad police spokesperson Yashpal said, adding that five of them have been discharged from the hospital after treatment.
Meanwhile, the 58-year-old officer, who died trying to save people trapped under the collapsed swing, was cremated with state honors at his native Dengar village in Uttar Pradesh.
His last rites were performed with full rituals on the banks of the Yamuna River, where his son Gaurav lit the funeral pyre, said an official, adding that hundreds of people gathered for the funeral.
Prasad, who joined the Haryana Armed Police in 1989 and was to retire in March after completing 36 years in the force, showed great bravery in trying to save those trapped in the swing but received severe injuries in the process, leading to his death, a senior officer said.
Prasad's son, Gaurav, said the family last met him before the fair started.
"He had promised to meet again only after the fair was over, but that meeting proved to be the last. One of my sisters had to get married in November, but all shattered now," said Gaurav.
Haryana DGP Ajay Singhal announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the brave inspector and a government job to one member of his family.
Stating that Prasad will be given the status of a martyr, the DGP lauded the officer for sacrificing his life trying to save the lives of others.
The DGP and Faridabad Commissioner Satendra Kumar Gupta also met Prasad’s family and offered their condolences. They also visited a hospital to inquire about the injured, police said.
"Inspector Jagdish Prasad made a commendable effort to rescue the injured while on duty. His death is a profound tragedy for the police department.
Following the tragic incident, the opposition parties attacked Nayab Saini's government and described the tragedy as a result of the government's negligence.
AAP senior leader Anurag Dhanda said that the same event, which the Haryana government and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini were touting as "world-class," witnessed a fatal accident due to security and administrative negligence.
"The most shameful aspect is that a minister of the Haryana government is trying to evade responsibility by calling the accident "not the government's fault, but God's will", Dhanda said in a statement.
The question is, if everything happens according to God's will, then why is the entire system of government, administration, security arrangements, and inspections in place, the AAP leader asked.
Dhanda charged that after the accident, the government immediately started a cover-up.
It is now emerging that the certificate issued for the installation of the rides was fake, he alleged.
Congress leader Deepender Hooda said the government cannot shirk its responsibility.
"If the administration has turned this event into a source of revenue, then the responsibility for security protocols also rests with the administration," Deepender said.
INLD president Abhay Singh Chautala said the Surajkund incident points to "administrative negligence and serious shortcomings in security management".
The incident, however, had no impact on the footfall, as the fair witnessed a massive surge on Sunday with people barely having room to stand due to the rush, officials said.
As the mela opened a day after Saturday's tumultuous incidents, attendance at the fair was low, with only a smattering of people visible on the grounds.
However, as word spread that the fair was still open, the crowd began to swell rapidly. By 2 pm, the number of attendees had reached staggering proportions.
According to the fair management, approximately 50,000 people showed up on Saturday. In stark contrast, the attendance of over 2,25,000 people has been recorded at the mela till the evening on Sunday.
Officials noted that extra gates had to be opened to regulate the massive influx of visitors.
"Over 15 lakh tourists had arrived in the 38th edition, whereas this time, in just 9 days, 7.28 lakh tourists have become a part of the fair. The upcoming Valentine's week is expected to further increase the number of tourists, which could lead to the fair breaking all previous records", Heritage and Tourism Minister Dr Arvind Sharma said.
After 3 pm, the stage seats were completely filled, with attendees even lining up in the last row to witness the fair unfold, he added.
"In light of the recent unfortunate incident, the swing area has been temporarily closed as a precaution pending further investigation. Authorities are reviewing safety standards rigorously. All other cultural, craft, food, and entertainment events within the festival complex remain safe and are operating smoothly," the authorities said in a statement.
According to available information, this was the third such accident involving a swing at the Surajkund fair, raising questions about the organisers’ safety claims.
Despite a death in 2002 and an injury in 2019, Saturday saw another fatality. In 2002, a young man died on a swing in the Surajkund fair area. At that time, swings were suspended for a few years.
Another accident in 2019 injured a young man, after which swings were again suspended before being restarted, keeping in view the revenues they generated.
According to officials, strict rules are in place for installing swings, for which daily inspections need to be conducted.
The world-famous Surajkund International Crafts Mela is held annually in the Faridabad district. For the 39th edition of the fair, being held from January 31 to February 15, the focus is on the vision of Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat.