Gurgaon: A 24-year-old resident of a society in Sector 84 suffered three spinal fractures after a basketball pole collapsed on him while he was playing with friends on Sunday evening.Antriksh Heights resident Kartik Dalal’s family and the society’s buyers’ association have alleged gross negligence in the maintenance of common facilities.Kartik is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Sector 90. According to his family, he sustained “major spinal fractures”.According to CCTV footage, a group of youngsters was playing basketball when one of the players briefly hung on the basketball pole. Moments later, the basketball pole suddenly tilted and collapsed. The heavy metal structure fell onto Dalal, who was standing beneath the basket, leaving him trapped under the pole. Other players immediately rushed to lift the structure and rescue him before he was taken to the hospital.Antriksh Heights Buyers’ Association has demanded an inquiry into the incident, fixing of responsibility, and an independent audit of maintenance practices in the society. The RWA president of the society, meanwhile, did not respond.Speaking to TOI, Kartik’s sister Tamanna alleged that the accident was the result of poor upkeep of the basketball court and accused the builder, society management and the RWA of ignoring repeated safety concerns. Tamanna also claimed that the family approached the police but alleged that no FIR was registered till the time of speaking.“My brother was simply playing basketball with his friends when the pole suddenly collapsed on him. He has suffered three major spinal fractures. This could have claimed his life. This is gross negligence on the part of the builder, the maintenance agency, RWA and everyone responsible for the upkeep of the premises,” she said.She alleged that despite the seriousness of the incident, there was no prompt emergency response from the society.“The guards did not even arrange an ambulance. It was the children playing with my brother who rushed to help him. Some people dismissed the incident by saying, ‘Only the pole fell, the child is alive.’ They don’t understand how serious a spinal injury can be. No one from the management even came to the hospital or contacted the family,” she said.The buyers’ association also blamed poor maintenance for the incident. Association president Retired Commander Yogesh Chauhan alleged that the basketball pole had become rusted due to lack of maintenance and had not been installed with a proper structural foundation.“The condition of the pole had been brought to the notice of the management several times by residents and players, but no corrective action was taken. The pole was improperly fixed in the ground, making it unsafe. This accident was completely avoidable,” Chauhan said.He said that the society has witnessed several maintenance-related issues in recent years, including falling plaster, repeated lift failures, and unsafe children’s play equipment. “Residents have repeatedly raised concerns, but the builder has failed to address them. Such negligence can result in a much bigger tragedy,” he added.
