Surajkund swing collapse: Police arrest ride operator, staff; Haryana CM calls for strict adherence to safety norms

Faridabad: Police on Sunday arrested a swing operator and one of his staff members, a day after an on-duty inspector died and 12 others got injured when a giant ‘Tsunami’ swing snapped mid-air and collapsed at the Surajkund fairgrounds.

The tragedy struck 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 (58), who died trying to save people, joined the Haryana Armed Police in 1989 and was to retire in March after completing 36 years in the force, officials said.

His body was handed over to his family on Sunday after an autopsy, police said.

“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, a spokesperson for Faridabad police, said.

A total of 12 people were injured in the accident, including female ASI Neelam, female constable Sharmila, SPO Rajesh, Harsh Prakash, Prashant, Amisha, Parvinder, Sunil, Shivani, Balbir, Anuj and Pooja, Yashpal said, adding that five of them have been discharged from the hospital after treatment.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday directed the concerned officials to ensure strict adherence to safety standards in 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, meanwhile, has said that the fair will continue on Sunday, with the swing area cordoned off pending further investigation.

On Saturday night, 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.

On Sunday, DGP Singhal and Faridabad Commissioner Satendra Kumar Gupta 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.

“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, Tourism Director Parth Gupta and Faridabad Deputy Commissioner Ayush Sinha inspected the fairground to review security arrangements.

The accident occurred barely an hour after a gate collapsed at the fairground, injuring two, including a child, officials said.

Police earlier formed a four-member SIT to investigate the case, headed by DCP (Crime) Mukesh Kumar, with ACP (Crime) Varun Dahiya, and sub-inspector Sanjay Kumar from the Surajkund police station as members, a senior police officer said.

The SIT has been tasked with carrying out a detailed probe into the incident, including fixing responsibility for negligence, if any, and evaluating adherence to the safety compliance measures.

According to the complaint filed by Assistant Sub-inspector Sunny, he was present at the fairground with Inspector Prasad when many people were seen enjoying the ‘Tsunami’ ride.

As the swing snapped mid-air, Prasad was seen trying to rescue those trapped in it. However, the swing suddenly collapsed after breaking from one side, and fell on them.

Prasad, who suffered serious injuries, died at a hospital later.

“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 said in his complaint.

The district administration has also formed a committee to probe the case, headed by Satbir Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-Mela Administrator.

The members include DCP Maqsood Ahmed, Arvind Gupta, HoD, mechanical department, YMCA University, Hitesh Kumar, Executive Engineer (mechanical), and Ashwini Gaur, Executive Engineer (electrical).

Meanwhile, the fair entered its ninth day on Sunday with the atmosphere heavy with grief, as people offered prayers for Prasad and the injured persons.

“In light of the recent unfortunate incident, the swing area has been temporarily closed as a precautionary measure pending further investigation. The matter is being investigated and safety standards are being thoroughly reviewed. All other cultural, craft, food, and entertainment events within the festival complex are completely safe and running smoothly,” the authorities said in a statement.

The safety of tourists and the general public is the top priority of the administration and the fair authority, it said.

The sudden demise of Prasad, who is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son, all students and unmarried, has shocked his native village Dengra in Mathura district.

One of Prasad’s brothers, Pradeep, is a teacher and lives in the village with his father Surajmal and mother Shanti Devi. His other brother, Satish Chandra, works at a chemical factory in Ballabgarh, while another, Chandrabhan Singh, works at a motor company in Faridabad.

“We received the news at 8 pm on Saturday. His wife Sudha lives with her two daughters, Nidhi and Deepti, and son Gaurav, in a government accommodation in the Sonipat Police Lines. My brother was awarded the Police Medal by the governor in 2019-20,” Pradeep said.

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.