Haryana basketball tragedy: 2 players crushed to death on court as iron poles collapse in separate accidents

In shocking tragedies, two national-level basketball players have died in separate but similar accidents in Haryana's Bahadurgarh and Rohtak after the iron pole of the basketball hoop fell on them.

On Sunday, 15-year-old Aman had gone to a basketball court on the premises of a government school in Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar district, for practice. He was left critically injured after an iron pole fell on him. He later succumbed to his injuries at PGIMS Rohtak on Monday night.

Following Aman’s death, his family members have alleged medical negligence at the PGIMS Rohtak, claiming that the teenager’s life could have been saved, reported News18.

“My son’s life could have been saved — it is entirely PGI Rohtak’s fault. We were made to run around there, sent from one place to another," Aman’s father Suresh told News18.

Aman’s brother Rinku alleged that the medical staff at PGI Rohtak refused to treat the teenager.

“There was a delay in taking the blood sample. We were asked to leave the hospital," Rinku said.

Similar tragic incident in Rohtak

Two days later, another national-level basketball player, 16-year-old Hardik Rathi, died after a pole collapsed on his chest during practice at a stadium in Rohtak.

The Rohtak incident on Tuesday was captured on the CCTV camera.

The footage showed Hardik, who had earlier taken part in the national sub-junior basketball championship, reaching for the hoop, but as soon as he attempted to hang from it, the pole collapsed and crushed him under it.

Other players sitting on the court side in the sports complex at Lakhan Majra village rushed Hardik to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, local SHO Samarjeet Singh said.

Khadak Singh, Hardik's elder brother, said that the condition of the iron pole, which he claimed was rusted, had been brought to the notice of the officials on multiple occasions, but nothing was done to fix it.

Holding the state sports department and the government responsible for his brother’s death, Khadak Singh claimed that Congress MP Deepender Hooda got two grounds built in the village, and in 2023, sanctioned ₹11 lakh from his MPLAD funds, but the officials concerned sat over it and did not repair the basketball pole.

While the opposition parties slammed the BJP government in Haryana over the “crumbling” sports infrastructure in the state, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini told reporters that he will first gather all the details before commenting on the matter.

Meanwhile, Haryana's Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam said, “This is a very unfortunate incident. A talented player is no longer with us... We have suspended the district sports officer and the sports nursery running under the Panchayat. A thorough investigation is underway, and strict action will be taken in this matter. An inquiry has been ordered.”

Sunita Khatri, Deputy Director, Rohtak Sports Division, said: “The Lakhan Majra stadium comes under the panchayat department.”