A fairground carousel malfunction claimed the life of one individual and left 13 others nursing injuries in Faridabad, India. The attraction collapsed during operation on Saturday night at the Surajkund International Craft Festival in Haryana, where large crowds had gathered to attend the popular cultural festival.
A viral video recorded of the incident shows the spinning swing ride completing two rotations. On its third rotation, the seating section suddenly detached from one of its supporting side pillars.
The detached section continued upward briefly before falling to the ground, triggering panic among people nearby. Screams could be heard as fairgoers reacted to the unexpected collapse.
Reports identified the deceased as Inspector Jagdish Prasad, a police officer who was present at the event. He reportedly died from injuries he sustained while attempting to save fairgoers on the ground. However, part of the collapsing ride hit him in the face and head, causing critical injuries. When he was transported to a hospital, he was confirmed dead.
Authorities say several victims injured in the incident were rushed to multiple hospitals in the vicinity. Among the injured is a ride operator whose shoulder was wounded after he was struck in the back by the swing’s grill.
Following the incident, Inspector Prasad’s last good deeds were praised by the Director General of Police (DGP) in Haryana, Ajay Singhal. The DGP said the officer’s “extraordinary bravery” helped to save several lives. For his actions, Prasad’s family will be compensated with the amount of 10 million rupees (JM $17,227,171) along with additional departmental benefits. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini sent condolences to the fallen officer’s family and well wishes to those injured.
An investigation has been launched, and Faridabad Deputy Commissioner Ayush Sinha said they would be taking action against the ride operator. Preliminary investigations indicate that the ride malfunctioned, causing the collapse.
Just hours before the incident with the ride, the main entrance gate collapsed, injuring two people, one of whom was a child.
