Youth critical after falling off giant wheel

A 25-year-old call centre employee is battling for life at the St John’s hospital after falling off a giant wheel at the International Robotic Birds World Exhibition on the Outer Ring Road in Marathahalli on September 1.

Mohammad Farhan Ansari, of Hongasandra, sustained head injuries and is undergoing treatment at the ICU.

Based on a complaint lodged by Farhan’s brother Mohammad Imran Ansari, the HAL police have booked the exhibition owner, manager, giant wheel owner and giant wheel operator under IPC sections 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others).

Police have picked up four persons, Ramu, Venkatesh, Srinivas and Venkatesha and are questioning them to ascertain how the victim fell. The incident happened around
6 pm when Farhan fell off the giant wheel on the metal platform below, injuring his head grievously. Farhan’s friends Tausif and Radhika called up his brother Imran. Farhan was rushed to a private hospital after which he was shifted to St John’s. Imran lodged a complaint with the HAL police saying no safety precautions were followed and blamed the accident on the negligence of the giant wheel operator. The four arrested told police that Farhan was taking a selfie on the moving giant wheel and the operator shouted at him. But he kept taking selfies, prompting the operator to slow down and stop the giant wheel. While getting out of his cage, Farhan tripped and fell on the metal platform.

“We have registered a case and have picked up four men whom we found culpable of negligence,” said a senior police officer. International Robotic Birds World Exhibition, open for the public for nearly a month, will continue for a week, a staff at the exhibition told DH.