Haryana has been shaken by two tragic incidents within just 48 hours, as teenage basketball players from Rohtak and Bahadurgarh lost their lives after poorly maintained basketball poles collapsed during practice. The shocking events have exposed the alarming condition of sports infrastructure in the state and raised serious questions over administrative negligence. Following public outrage, District Sports Officer Anoop Singh has been suspended, and a committee has been formed to investigate the matter and improve sports facilities. The basketball nursery in Lakhan Majra has also been suspended.
16-year-old National-Level Player Hardik Rathi Crushed by Falling Pole
The first incident took place on Tuesday near Lakhan Majra in Rohtak, where 16-year-old Hardik Rathi, a national-level basketball player, died after a 750-kg pole collapsed on his chest. CCTV footage, now in police custody, shows Hardik practicing on the court when he leaped to hang from the basketball pole. Within seconds, the weak and unstable pole snapped and crashed down on him. Fellow players rushed to lift the pole and took him to the hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Hardik was a tenth-grade student and a promising talent who had won medals at the Sub-Junior National Championships in Kangra, Hyderabad, and the Youth National Championship in Puducherry.
Another Teen Player Dies in Bahadurgarh
In a similar tragedy at the Shaheed Brigadier Hoshiar Singh Stadium in Bahadurgarh, 15-year-old Aman, who had been critically injured when a basketball pole fell on him, died on Monday night. The back-to-back incidents have sparked widespread criticism of the state’s sports system.
Police and Local Administration Under Scrutiny
Lakhan Majra Police Station SHO Samarjit Singh confirmed that CCTV footage has been seized and an in-depth investigation is underway. The stadium where Hardik died is under the jurisdiction of the village panchayat. Shockingly, its maintenance had been neglected for four years.
Sarpanch representative Sandeep Singh revealed that funds had been sanctioned through the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme, and ₹20 lakh had recently been approved for essential upgrades at both local stadiums. Work was expected to start soon, but the tragedy occurred before improvements could begin.
Basketball Federation Demands Safety Reports Across All Districts
Ajay Shyoran, President of the Basketball Federation of Haryana, expressed deep grief over the loss of a talented under-17 player. He said that safety reports have now been demanded from officials across all districts. Coaches and senior players have also raised concerns regarding outdated equipment and neglected facilities.
Legal Appeal for Strict Safety Standards
Advocate Rajnarayan Panghal, a sports promoter, has written to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and the President of the Haryana Olympic Association, urging urgent reforms in sports infrastructure.
In his letter, Panghal highlighted:
- Most schools and institutions use cemented basketball courts, which are unsafe and harmful for players’ knees, ankles, and spine.
- Globally, basketball is played only on indoor wooden flooring, while Haryana’s facilities are far from international standards.
- Weak poles and improper anchoring pose life-threatening risks.
He demanded:
- A complete ban on cemented basketball courts in Haryana.
- Mandatory construction of indoor wooden courts for new projects.
- No government funding or permissions for unsafe court designs.
- Immediate safety inspections and repairs of all existing courts.
- Clear accountability for coaches and ground staff.
A Wake-Up Call for Haryana Sports
The consecutive deaths of Hardik Rathi and Aman have left the sports fraternity grieving and angry. As inquiries begin and responsibilities are fixed, the incidents serve as a grim reminder of the urgent need to overhaul the sports ecosystem in Haryana—before more young talent is lost to preventable negligence.
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