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Punjab CM Slams Haryana After Basketball Pole Tragedy Kills Teen Players

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed deep condolences over the tragic death of teenage basketball players in Haryana. He strongly criticized the Haryana government for negligence in maintaining sports infrastructure despite repeated complaints from villagers. Mann demanded accountability for unused repair funds and called for proper compensation for the bereaved families. The incident has raised serious questions about sports facility safety across India.

Key Points: Punjab CM Mann Condemns Haryana Over Basketball Player Deaths

  • Teen basketball player dies when pole collapses during practice in village playground
  • CM Mann demands government job for bereaved family and compensation
  • Villagers had repeatedly complained about poor court condition but ignored
  • Haryana CM announces ₹5 lakh assistance and orders inspection of sports facilities
3 min read

Punjab CM Mann expresses condolence over death of basketball players in Haryana

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann demands accountability after basketball pole collapse kills teen players in Haryana, exposing poor sports infrastructure despite funds allocation.

"The Haryana government must take responsibility for this negligence - Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann"

Rohtak, Nov 27

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Thursday, shared condolences with the family of 16-year-old national basketball player Hardik Rathi, who died tragically after a basketball pole collapsed unexpectedly during practice in his village playground.

Calling the incident a disgrace for the entire nation, the Chief Minister said the entire sports fraternity is anguished over the mishap.

He added that Hardik's parents never imagined that the son who went to practice to make the country proud will return home lifeless.

Chief Minister Mann said he is an ardent lover of sports and his love for sports brought him to share in the family's grief during this difficult time.

He called it unfortunate that villagers had repeatedly complained about the poor condition of the basketball court, but no one paid attention.

He said that the Haryana government must take responsibility for this negligence and a member of the bereaved family should be given a government job and appropriate compensation.

Mann added that this tragic accident has exposed the deteriorating sports infrastructure in Haryana.

The Chief Minister said despite tall claims about advancing sports facilities by the Haryana government, the reality on the ground is deplorable.

He added that more than 47 players from this village have represented the country in national and international level tournaments, yet the Haryana government failed to provide proper facilities in its playground, leading to this tragedy.

Mann said it is shameful that although funds had been released for the ground's repair, not a single penny had been spent for which accountability must be fixed.

The Chief Minister also expressed profound grief and sorrow over the death of another young player, Aman Kumar (15), who died in Bahadurgarh in Haryana when another basketball pole collapsed, adding he demanded strict action in that case too.

He said the Union Sports Ministry should seek reports from all states on the current state of sports grounds to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.

Mann noted that on one hand, India is preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, but on the other hand, poor infrastructure is causing the loss of young sports talents.

The Chief Minister said that Union government must introspect that whether the country is truly ready to host world-level competitions or not.

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has expressed sorrow over the loss of lives of two young basketball players due to unusual mishaps at Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar and Lakhan Majra in Rohtak districts.

He has also announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the families of each deceased.

"The Haryana government stands with the family members of the deceased youths in this period of grief," he said in a statement.

Chief Minister Saini has also ordered a thorough inspection of all sports facilities in Haryana.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
While I appreciate CM Mann's concern, this feels like political point-scoring. Both Punjab and Haryana need to focus on improving sports facilities rather than blaming each other. The real issue is systemic neglect across states.
S
Sarah B
As someone who grew up playing sports in rural India, this hits close to home. We used rusty equipment and damaged courts because that's all we had. The government releases funds but corruption eats it up. So tragic for these young talents.
A
Arjun K
Two young lives lost in similar incidents! This shows it's not an isolated case. Haryana government's response of ₹5 lakh compensation feels like putting a band-aid on a deep wound. We need proper accountability and infrastructure overhaul.
M
Michael C
The fact that villagers had repeatedly complained about the poor condition makes this even more tragic. When will our system start listening to ground-level feedback? This could have been prevented so easily.
N
Nisha Z
Heartfelt condolences to both families 🙏 No amount of compensation can bring back these young stars. But at least the Haryana CM has ordered inspection of all sports facilities. Hope this leads to real change and not just paperwork.
K
Karthik V
Hosting Commonwealth Games 2030? First fix our basic sports infrastructure! We lose so many potential champions due to

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