Massive rush at Surajkund Mela despite swing collapse accident

The tragic events of the previous day, in which a police officer lost his life, did not seem to affect the ongoing Surajkund International Self-Reliant Crafts Mela, as the fair witnessed a massive surge on Sunday, with people barely having room to stand due to the rush, officials said.

As the mela opened a day after Saturday’s tumultuous incidents, attendance at the fair was low, with only a smattering of people visible on the grounds.

However, as word spread that the fair was still open despite the earlier accidents, the crowd began to swell rapidly. By 2 pm, the number of attendees had reached staggering proportions.

According to the fair management, approximately 50,000 people showed up on Saturday. In stark contrast, the attendance of over 2,25,000 people has been recorded at the mela so far on Sunday. Officials noted that extra gates had to be opened on Sunday to regulate the massive influx of visitors.

“Over 15 lakh tourists had arrived in the 38th edition, whereas this time, in just 9 days, 7.28 lakh tourists have become a part of the fair. The upcoming Valentine’s week is expected to further increase the number of tourists, which could lead to the fair breaking all previous records,” Heritage and Tourism Minister Dr Arvind Sharma said.

The ninth day of the fair began in a sombre atmosphere, with a two-minute silence held in tribute to Inspector Jagdish Prasad, who lost his life while on duty, an official said.

After 3 pm, the stage seats were completely filled, with attendees even lining up in the last row to witness the fair unfold, he added.

“In light of the recent unfortunate incident, the swing area has been temporarily closed as a precaution pending further investigation. Authorities are reviewing safety standards rigorously. All other cultural, craft, food, and entertainment events within the festival complex remain safe and are operating smoothly,” the authorities said in a statement.

Around 19 people were riding the swing when it tilted around 6 pm on Saturday before crashing onto the ground, leaving 12 injured and one dead.

The deceased was identified as Jagdish Prasad, a 58-year-old on-duty police inspector, who was awarded the Police Medal by the Haryana governor in 2019-20.

The accident occurred barely an hour after a gate collapsed at the fairground, injuring two, including a child, officials said.

Police arrest ride operator, staff in Surajkund swing collapse case

Faridabad: Police on Sunday arrested a swing operator and one of his staff members, a day after an on-duty inspector died and 12 others got injured when a giant ‘tsunami’ swing snapped mid-air and collapsed at the Surajkund fairgrounds. The tragedy struck the 39th Surajkund International Crafts Mela on Saturday evening, when about 19 people were riding the swing before it suddenly tilted and then crashed onto the ground.

“A special investigation team formed to probe the incident has arrested two accused: Mohammad Shakir, a resident of Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmour district and the proprietor of Himachal Fun Care that operated the giant swing, and Nitesh from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, who worked under Shakir. The role of others is being examined,” Yashpal, a spokesperson for Faridabad police, said.

A total of 12 people were injured in the accident, including female ASI Neelam, female constable Sharmila, SPO Rajesh, Harsh Prakash, Prashant, Amisha, Parvinder, Sunil, Shivani, Balbir, Anuj and Pooja, Yashpal said, adding that five of them have been discharged from the hospital after treatment.  Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday directed the concerned officials to ensure strict adherence to safety standards in the fair and other public events.

“The Government stands firmly with the family of Jagdish Prasad in this difficult time. Those seriously injured in the accident will receive financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each from the State Government,” Saini said.