The Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs Department has officially stated it bears no responsibility for the tragic deaths of two teenage basketball players, Hardik Rathee and Aman, in separate incidents in the state. The department submitted reports to higher authorities claiming the accident sites were not under its jurisdiction.
Department's Reports Detail Lack of Jurisdiction
In the first case, 15-year-old Aman from Bahadurgarh suffered grievous injuries when a basketball pole collapsed on him at the Shaheed Brigadier Hoshiyar Singh Stadium in Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar district. He later died during treatment. The Jhajjar district sports officer's report emphasized that the stadium "does not fall under the jurisdiction of the sports department." The report clarified the department only constructed a wrestling hall there and ran a wrestling training centre under coach Sanjay Kumar. It stated no departmental basketball centre operated at the venue, severing any connection to the incident.
The second tragedy occurred on November 25 in Lakhanmajra, Rohtak district. Sixteen-year-old Hardik Rathee died after a basketball pole fell on him during practice. Rohtak District Sports Officer Anoop's report asserted the practice court land belonged to the Lakhanmajra block samiti and was not under the sports department. The report noted the department had not allotted any basketball sports nursery in Lakhanmajra; only a kabaddi nursery was operational there, with no departmental basketball coach posted.
Families and Politicians Reject Clean Chit, Demand Accountability
Both reports, endorsed by Deputy Director of Sports Sunita Khatri and marked to higher authorities on November 27, aimed to absolve the department. However, the grieving families have vehemently rejected this defence.
Aman's father, Suresh Kumar, sharply criticized the department's stance, stating the family had rejected the government's compensation offer of Rs 5 lakh. "We want an FIR against those responsible for my son's death. The ground may not be 'under the sports department' on paper, but why did the department never intervene on safety? We do not want compensation or clean chits," he said.
In Lakhanmajra, basketball coach Mohit Rathee pointed to unutilized funds as a key failure. He highlighted that funds sanctioned in 2023 under the MPLAD scheme by Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda were not used. "The culprits are those who did not utilise the funds. Action should be taken against those responsible," he asserted.
Political Reaction and Broader Accusations
MP Deepender Hooda questioned the logic behind suspending Rohtak District Sports Officer Anoop if the department truly had no jurisdiction over the stadium. He accused the state's BJP government of turning the sports department into a mere "event management department" that celebrates athletes' successes but washes its hands of tragedies. "It only became active to click photographs when any athlete won a medal due to their own hard work," Hooda stated.
The incidents have sparked a significant debate over sports infrastructure safety, administrative accountability, and the protection of young athletes in Haryana, a state known for its sporting culture. The families' demand for an FIR, rather than compensation, underscores a growing call for systemic accountability over financial settlements.
