The 58-year-old on-duty police inspector who died in the tragic accident while trying to save people at the Surajkund fair in Haryana's Faridabad was awarded the prestigious Police Medal in 2019-20, and he was to retire in March this year after completing 36 years of service, a senior official said on Sunday. The deceased, identified as Jagdish Prasad, had joined the Haryana Police in 1989.
After a swing snapped mid-air collapsed at the Surajkund fair on Saturday evening, he was trying to save those who were trapped. However, he sustained serious injuries during the process, which led to his death. The Haryana Police has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for his family and a government job to one of his kins.
Prasad, a native of Dengra village in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district, is survived by wife and three children: two daughters and a son. All are students and unmarried. Prasad also had three brothers: Pradeep, a teacher; Satish Chandra, who works at a chemical factory in Ballabgarh; Chandrabhan Singh, who 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 was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Case registered against swing operator
The Haryana Police has now registered a first information report (FIR) against swing operator Mohammad Shakir. Though the festival will continue on Sunday, the police have closed the swing area for investigation. On Saturday night, Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Ajay Singhal also met those who were injured in the incident.
He also paid tributes to Prasad and lauded him for saving lives. "We want to provide proper security and ensure a crime-free fair, and the sacrifice made by Inspector Jagdish Prasad while performing his duty is unparalleled. I have been told that he was helping the public at the time and was caught in the incident. The department will provide all possible assistance to the family. Our police department is deeply saddened and distressed by this tragic news," he told reporters.
