Rohtak: The death of 16-year-old national-level basketball player Hardik Rathi during routine practice at a local court in Haryana’s Lakhan Majra has triggered widespread shock and raised urgent questions about the condition and maintenance of sports infrastructure in the state. The chilling CCTV footage—showing the basketball pole collapsing on the young athlete within seconds of him touching the rim—has intensified public outrage and prompted calls for immediate safety reforms.
CCTV footage raises alarm on court safety
According to local accounts, Hardik was practising alone at the village court. In the video, he sprints from the three-point line, jumps to touch the basket, and grabs the rim. Within moments, the pole uproots from its base and crashes down, pinning him underneath. By the time help arrived, the teenager—considered a promising talent—could not be saved.
Images from the court have been widely shared on social media, drawing attention to the unsafe structures still in use at many local sports facilities. Haryana, known for producing medal-winning sportspersons, is now facing uncomfortable scrutiny over the quality of equipment and the upkeep of older courts.
Experts warn against ignoring infrastructure gaps
The incident has shaken the basketball community. Ajmer Singh, former Olympian and Arjuna Awardee, emphasised the urgent need to revisit maintenance practices.
“The newer basketball courts in the country are being built to top-notch quality but this incident has forced us to talk about a more important issue, which is how are we maintaining the older courts,” he said.
He added that ageing equipment, rusted poles, loose nuts and bolts, and lack of routine checks contribute significantly to such accidents. Regular inspections, he stressed, are not optional but essential to prevent future tragedies.
Former national team member Narender Kumar Grewal echoed the concerns. Having played across Haryana all his life, he said the state has world-class manufacturers and excellent equipment at major centres, but local courts often compromise due to financial limitations.
“The ring is the most important and should be the best quality. We must ensure we’re not installing low-quality rings, poles or support equipment,” he said.
He added that losing young athletes to preventable infrastructure failures is deeply tragic and should serve as a wake-up call for authorities.
A similar tragedy points to recurring neglect
Hardik’s death is not an isolated incident. Recently, a 15-year-old player named Aman from Bahadurgarh died under similar circumstances, after a basketball pole fell on him during practice. He suffered severe internal injuries and could not survive.
The back-to-back tragedies have heightened fears that many local courts remain unsafe, with equipment long past its usable life span.
Young athletes express fear and frustration
The impact of these incidents is also being felt far beyond Haryana. Students from Delhi University, many of whom belong to sports backgrounds in the region, say the visuals have left them traumatised.
Ritika, a BSc Physical Education student at the School of Open Learning, shared how the tragedy has shaken her confidence.
“This could have been us… After the incident, me and my teammates felt we didn’t want to go to practice. Not all players can afford top facilities, but we don’t want to feel unsafe at our local courts,” she said.
She added that budding players often rely on municipal courts or community facilities where maintenance is poor, and repeated incidents will push many away from sports altogether.
Call for urgent reforms to protect future talent
Basketball players, coaches and sports administrators now unanimously demand a comprehensive safety audit of all public sports courts in Haryana. They argue that the state cannot afford to lose talented players due to preventable infrastructural failures.
Experts say that simple measures—such as quarterly maintenance checks, using certified equipment, replacing rusted or outdated structures, and ensuring proper anchoring—could prevent such tragedies.
A preventable tragedy and a wake-up call
Hardik Rathi’s death has not only devastated his family and community but has also become a grim reminder that talent alone cannot flourish without safe spaces to practise. As voices grow louder, many hope this heartbreaking incident compels authorities to prioritise safety, upgrade facilities and protect the next generation of athletes.