Haryana Suspends Sports Officer After Two Teen Basketball Players Die in Separate Accidents

The Haryana government has taken swift action following two tragic incidents in which teenage basketball players lost their lives due to collapsing poles at government sports facilities.

In a decisive move, the state's Sports Department has suspended Rohtak's District Sports Officer and temporarily closed the basketball training center in Rohtak as a precaution.

These back-to-back fatalities occurred within a span of 48 hours, the first in Bahadurgarh and the second in Rohtak, both caused by outdated and unsafe sports equipment. The incidents have prompted Haryana's Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam to order an immediate and thorough safety audit across all state sports facilities.

Gautam reacted strongly to the accidents, describing the events as

deeply distressing and unacceptable. He has called for a high-level review meeting on November 28 at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, bringing together senior officials from the Sports Department and sports officers from all districts to address these critical safety concerns.

The department has issued a strict directive mandating all district sports officers to conduct personal inspections of every stadium and training venue within their areas. Unsafe equipment must be removed at once, and any facilities or structures in poor condition must be closed until repairs are completed.

Officials have been warned that negligence leading to future incidents will result in severe disciplinary measures, with individual officers held personally accountable for lapses. This move aims to prevent any repetition of such tragic accidents and ensure the safety of young athletes training in Haryana.