Incident at Errum Manzil Mall
On June 8, between 6.15 pm and 6.50 pm, a six-year-old girl was playing at a children's gaming zone inside a mall at Errum Manzil, Hyderabad. While using a trampoline, she entered a foam pit and sustained a serious wrist fracture. The injury required a cast and has left her unable to attend school or engage in normal activities for about six weeks, according to her father, Lt Colonel Bipan Singh Negi of the Mehdipatnam Army area.
Police Complaint and Allegations
Lt Colonel Negi filed a complaint with Punjagutta police on June 18, alleging negligence by the mall management. He stated that the foam pit was inadequately filled with cushioning material, leaving portions of the base structure exposed, creating a safety hazard. To verify his concerns, he visited the gaming zone on June 12 and video-recorded the foam pit, claiming the footage showed safety deficiencies.
The complainant also emailed the managers of both the gaming zone and the mall on June 15, requesting preservation of CCTV footage, visitor registers, and maintenance logs. However, he alleged receiving no response from either party.
Police Action and Investigation
Acting on the complaint, Punjagutta police registered a case on June 18 against the managing director of the mall under sections 125(b) (causing grievous hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 289 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police said notices would be issued to the mall management, and CCTV footage from the gaming zone would be examined along with other relevant records to ascertain whether safety lapses contributed to the child's injury.
