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Basketball Player Death: Victim’s family alleges negligence by dist admn, calls for better sports infra
When reporters asked him about Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini’s announcement of ₹5 lakh assistance to his and Aman’s bereaved family, Sandeep Rathi said that he is ready to give ₹10 lakh to ministers and officials, if they agreed to send their children to dilapidated basketball courts from where their no guarantee of returning safe back to home
Two days after a 16-year-old junior national-level basketball player Hardik Rathi died after the basketball hoop’s iron pole fell on him during practice at Lakhan Majra village in Rohtak, his father Sandeep Rathi on Thursday accused the district administration for his son’s death and urged the government to improve sports facilities across the state so that no player loses their life in such a tragic incident.
Interacting with media at his house, Sandeep said that he had gone to Kurukshetra on November 25 as his duty was assigned in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally. “I got a call from the family members that Hardik suffered minor injuries as an iron pole fell on him during practice and he was admitted to a hospital. My family members told me that Hardik will be discharged soon and they asked me to continue the duty. When I returned home in the evening, I got to know that he is no more,” grief-stricken father said.
When reporters asked him about Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini’s announcement of ₹5 lakh assistance to his and Aman’s bereaved family, Sandeep Rathi said that he is ready to give ₹10 lakh to ministers and officials, if they agreed to send their children to dilapidated basketball courts from where their no guarantee of returning safe back to home.
“I have lost my son and the nation has lost a budding player, who aspired to lead the Indian Basketball team. More than 40 national level players are practicing at village stadium and I urged the government to improve the sports facilities across the state so that no player loses their life in such a tragic incident. We urge the government to set-up an indoor stadium in the village in the name of Hardik so that people remember him for years,” he added.
He said that villagers have been donating the money for the maintenance of the stadium for the last several years and if they had known that the iron pole is rusted, they would have changed it.
CM Saini orders thorough inspection of sports complexes
Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday ordered a thorough inspection of infrastructure in all sports complexes across the state, following the death of a junior national-level player and another teenager in collapse of rusted iron poles in basketball courts.
Politicians condole young player’s death
Several politicians, including Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Haryana sports minister Gaurav Gautam and INLD chief Abhay Singh Chautala visited Hardik’s house and offered their condolences.
The sports minister Gautam had inspected the Basketball court and met the family. He condoled the death saying “Hardik was a talented player and he has potential of bringing glory for the nation on the world stage. The government is also grief-stricken and we are standing with his family. I have discussed several things with the family, whether related to financial assistance or creating something related to Hardik’s memory.”
On being asked about ₹18.5 lakh unused MPLAD funds released by opposition MP Deepender Hooda, Gautam said that the matter of funds not spent by the panchayat department will be investigated and action will be initiated accordingly.
“The sports department has taken both the tragedies responsibly and we are addressing the issues. A total of ₹150 crore has been given to the PWD department for the maintenance of sports infrastructure and over ₹600 crore has been spent for the same purpose in the last 11 years,” sports minister added.
PM should take reports from state sports ministers on infra: Punjab CM
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said that the tragic incident has shaken the morale of Hardik’s associates and their friends are afraid of sending them again to the same court.
“The Prime Minister and Union sports minister should take reports from respective states’ sports ministers about the infrastructure and maintenance of each stadium. These players had also written a letter to the Haryana government for the maintenance of the stadium but the government failed to address their issue. We had heard a lot about Haryana’s sports policy but what we are getting now. The players’ bodies are coming back home,” he added. Mann demanded a government job and financial assistance to both the bereaved families.
Box
When media persons asked social justice and empowerment minister Krishan Bedi about crumbling sports infrastructure in the state during a press conference on November 9, when Cricketer Shafali Verma returned home, Bedi said, “ How many such stadiums’ list you have in Rohtak. We will check the list and sort out your grievances. Nothing will change on your (journalists) claims. DC sahab is here and he will check and revert you by evening.”
