A tragic joyride accident at the 39th Surajkund International Crafts Mela on Saturday evening, February 7, 2026 led to the death of a courageous police inspector and injuries to 12 more. Response in Haryana: The government of Haryana has initiated a higher-level investigation, registering an FIR and arresting two individuals believed to be involved in maintaining the ride.
The Investigation: Who is to be held accountable for "Lethal Negligence"
After the swing ride “Tsunami” broke down, Faridabad Police responded in timely fashion in order to address fault of the mechanical failure that transformed a bright evening into a nightmare.
FIR and Key Arrests
A FIR is registered at the Surajkund Police Station (under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)) pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
- Mohammad Shakir: The owner of Himachal Fun Care, the company responsible for installing and operating the swings, was arrested on Sunday.
- Nitesh: A Meerut resident and a staff member involved with the operation of the ride, also got arrested.
- Allegations: Accusations are submitted by an on-duty Assistant Sub-Inspector, who alleges the defendant “deliberate endangerment” and did not meet mandatory safety standards.
Formation of the SIT
Satender Kumar Gupta, the Faridabad Police Commissioner, has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that can conduct a technical and scientific investigation.
- Leadership: The team is led by DCP (Crime) Mukesh Malhotra and supervised by ACP (Crime) Varun Dahiya.
- Objective: The SIT will study maintenance logs, the ride’s structure (a failed shaft rod) and whether daily safety certifications actually were done, or whether they could be considered mere “paperwork”.
Inspector Jagdish Prasad's Heroism
The tragedy is epitomized by the heroic act of Inspector Jagdish Prasad (59), the security in-charge of the amusement zone. When one side of the giant swing snapped, riders hung mid-air, Inspector Prasad raced into the high-risk area to drag victims to safety. Witnesses say while he was assisting escape the remaining support on the swing gave way. A piece of the heavy metal portion of the ride struck him, resulting in fatal head and facial injuries.
Legacy: A Mathura native, Prasad was due to retire in March 2026 after 36 years of service. And that means support of the government: Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini has announced martyr status for the inspector, ₹1 crore compensation for his family, and a government post for one of his relatives.
Safety Quality Under Supervision
The accident happened only after just one hour of the decorative gate at the fairground coming down from a blast of high winds and injuring a man and a child. A series of serious cases has resulted in the scrutiny given to both the Mela Authority and Haryana Tourism Department. Although the arts and cultural areas in the Mela continue to be accessible to the public, the amusement zone has been cordoned off and all rides were suspended indefinitely for time for an all-time safety review to take place.
