The deaths have shocked the sporting community and triggered demands for an urgent review of sports infrastructure safety across the state.
Two promising teenage basketball players lost their lives in tragic, almost identical accidents in Haryana this week. The incidents — happening in different districts — involved basketball poles collapsing during routine practice sessions. The deaths have shocked the sporting community and triggered demands for an urgent review of sports infrastructure safety across the state.
In Rohtak’s Lakhan Majra area, 16-year-old Hardik was practising alone on a local court. The video-like accounts describe him running from the three-point line to dunk a ball. He made one successful attempt. During the second attempt, he grabbed the basket rim — and the entire pole gave way. The heavy structure fell forward and crushed him on the chest.
Friends who returned to the court saw the collapse, hurried to lift the metal frame, and rushed Hardik to the hospital. Despite the rescue efforts, the teenager could not be saved. His body was later handed back to his family after a post-mortem. A police case has now been registered.
Hardik had recently returned from a national-level training camp. His father had enrolled him and his younger brother in a nearby sports club to nurture their talent. Neighbours remember him as a dedicated young athlete with bright prospects.
Shockingly, almost simultaneously, another incident occurred in the Bahadurgarh district. A 15-year-old boy named Aman was reportedly injured when a similar basketball pole collapsed during practice at a stadium. He was admitted to the Rohtak PGIMS hospital.
Tragically, Aman succumbed to his injuries late Monday. According to his family, he faced internal trauma. The relatives have criticised the hospital’s treatment, claiming inadequate care contributed to his death. Aman was a school student who recently won a medal at his school’s sports meet.
The back-to-back accidents involving young athletes have raised urgent questions about safety and maintenance of public sports equipment in Haryana. Many worry that courts and grounds lack basic checks to ensure that heavy poles and baskets are properly anchored.
Sports and civic infrastructure experts say that repeated dunking or rough play can stress these installations. Without regular checks and maintenance, degradation or poor installation can lead to catastrophic failure.
Haryana’s Panchayat Minister, Krishan Lal Panwar, called the deaths “unfortunate.” He announced that he would write to all District Education Officers and the Education Minister. He promised a thorough inquiry into the matter and said future safety audits would be prioritised.
He urged school and club authorities to inspect all basketball courts under their jurisdiction and confirm the stability of equipment to ensure no more lives are endangered.
These tragedies serve as a stark warning. They show that young lives and athletic ambitions can be destroyed in seconds if safety standards are ignored. Fans, families, and fellow athletes are now calling for urgent reforms.
They demand regular maintenance of sports gear, mandatory safety audits of public courts, and strict oversight of privately run clubs. They argue that nothing short of zero tolerance for negligence is acceptable when children’s lives are at stake.
Hardik and Aman’s dreams may have ended far too soon — but their loss could trigger a crucial push for safer sports facilities across Haryana and beyond.
