The sports department of the government of Haryana has issued directions to take remedial measures for sub-standard buildings and sports equipment. The government has ordered the removal of the sub-standard sports equipment with immediate effect. It has also asked the use of sub-standard infrastructure to be stopped and repair work to be done. This comes in the wake of the death of a 16-year-old national-level basketball player in Haryana's Rohtak after the basketball pole fell on his chest during practice.
For the unversed, the national-level basketball player Hardik Rathi (16) died after the iron pole of a basketball hoop fell on his chest during practice. The incident was also captured on a CCTV camera, which showed Hardik reaching for the hoop. But as soon as he attempted to hang from it, the pole collapsed and crushed him under it.
The onlookers on the court in the sports complex at Lakhan Majra village rushed Hardik to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, according to police who are investigating the circumstances leading to the collapse of the iron poles, including the condition of the equipment.
Hardik's elder brother blames the government
Hardik's elder brother, Khadak Singh, told reporters that not just the family, but the nation has lost a promising basketball player due to the negligence of the authorities. He also held the sports department and the government responsible for his brother’s death, while also revealing that it was Hardik's dream to lead the Indian basketball team one day
"Hardik used to train twice a day. As soon as he tried to touch the hoop on Tuesday morning, it got uprooted and fell on his chest, leading to internal bleeding, which proved fatal," he said while also confirming that the officials were told multiple times about the condition of the iron pole.
Meanwhile, in another unfortunate incident, a teenager, Aman, lost his life in a similar incident in Bahadurgarh while practicing on a basketball court on the premises of a government school. The teenager was left critically injured after an iron pole fell on him and died at PGIMS Rohtak during treatment on Monday night, SHO (City) Dinkar Yadav said.
