Gurgaon: Two days after a 24-year-old resident of Antriksh Heights in Sector 84 suffered serious spinal injuries when a basketball pole collapsed on him, police on Tuesday registered a negligence case against unknown persons.Kartik Dalal was playing basketball at the society on the evening of July 19 when the incident happened. He was rushed to Aarvy Hospital in Sector 90 by ambulance. The FIR was registered at Kherki Daula police station.The complaint was lodged by Kartik’s father, Dharmendra Dalal, who was present at the site. He alleged negligence on the part of the society’s maintenance agency, claiming residents had orally complained to the RWA “two or three times” about the pole’s condition, but it was never repaired.Police received the medico-legal case (MLC) from the hospital on the day of the incident but doctors declared Kartik unfit to give a statement. The MLC recorded five injuries on his body.CCTV footage of the incident showed the pole collapsing moments after one of the players briefly hung on it. Kartik’s family said he suffered three spinal fractures. Antriksh Heights Buyers’ Association has also demanded an inquiry and an independent audit of the society’s maintenance practices. A senior police officer said the maintenance company’s office bearers and officials would be questioned.Meanwhile, residents of Antriksh Heights held a candlelight vigil in solidarity with Kartik. Residents demanded a fair investigation into the incident and stronger safety measures to prevent such accidents in the future.“There have been incidents of a children getting trapped in lifts, plaster falling from buildings, and treated sewage water being discharged in the open. The pole collapse has once again exposed serious lapses in safety. The matter should be investigated impartially, those responsible must face strict action and a comprehensive safety audit of all facilities in the society should be carried out,” said ward councillor Ravi Kumar, who joined the march.On Tuesday, Haryana Olympic Association (HOA) wrote to the state registrar of societies and the deputy commissioner, demanding a statewide safety audit over installation standards and maintenance of sports infrastructure.
