Haryana news: Two teenage basketball players die within 48 hours; Vinesh Phogat, Congress blame BJP govt
Congress MLA Vinesh Phogat has slammed the BJP government in Haryana after two teenage basketball players in the state died due to poles falling on them during practice. Assembly LoP Bhupinder Singh Hooda has also slammed the government for a lack of infrastructure oversight.
A view of the site where a basketball player died in a freak court accident in Rohtak on Wednesday.(ANI Video Grab)
Former wrestler and current MLA of Haryana's Julana, Vinesh Phogat, has flagged concerns about the deaths of two young basketball players in the state within a span of 48 hours.
On Tuesday, a national-level basketball player passed away in Rohtak after an iron pole to which a basketball hoop was attached fell on him during a practice session. The 16-year-old was taken to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
This came after a similar incident occurred at the Hoshiar Singh Sports Stadium only a couple of days ago. This time, a 15-year-old died after a basketball pole fell on him during practice. Even this teenager was taken to a hospital, but could not be saved.
In her social media post, Phogat, one of the most successful Indian wrestlers in recent times, slammed the government for oversight and asked who would take responsibility for the tragic death of two teenagers.
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Vinesh Phogat shared CCTV footage of the incident on Instagram.(Instagram)
“The deaths of 17-year-old Hardik and 15-year-old Aman in Haryana, a state known for its sports culture, have shaken the entire region. Two innocent lives were lost simply because the maintenance, safety, and facilities of stadiums were left to chance,” the wrestler-turned-lawmaker said.
“In both Lakhanmajra and Bahadurgarh, players had been complaining for months about broken poles and damaged facilities. But the warnings went unheard and the result was two deaths. This is not an accident; it is outright administrative negligence,” she also said.
"How many more deaths will it take for the system to wake up? Who will take responsibility for Hardik and Aman? When will safety audits of stadiums take place?" the former Olympian also asked.
"Children of Haryana are losing their lives on the field, while the government is searching for “development” on paper. This is not a failure of the system — it is the system’s murder," she lamented.
Bhupinder Singh Hooda slams BJP
Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, also echoed Phogat's sentiments. He accused the BJP government of the state of treating sports as well as athletes like enemies.
"This is why two promising young players, Hardik and Aman, tragically died when a dilapidated basketball pole collapsed," Hooda said in a statement.
"This is not a simple accident or a normal death, but a death caused by sheer government negligence. Hardik was a national-level player with a bright future, having already signed with a club in the United States. Similarly, Aman, just 15 years old, was also a promising player. The untimely deaths of these two young players have shocked the entire state," he said.
Grant was received, no work done: Deceased teen's grandfather
The grandfather of a deceased teenager told reporters that a grant of ₹11 lakh was received for repair work, but no work was undertaken.
“... A grant was received in 2023, for the repair work... But they kept on delaying the repair work... He played nationally four times... He made a lot of effort. He was a dedicated player…” the grandfather, Gulab Singh, said, as per ANI.
The pole was damaged at a few centimetres below ground level. It was not visible. The rust was not visible because of the paint... A grant of ₹11 lakhs was received, but no work was undertaken... The administration is responsible for the incident... We cannot say, but the government knows against whom action needs to be taken... The administration is responsible..." he added.
