Tragic Collapse of Basketball Pole Injures 12‑Year‑Old in Gurugram’s Sector 84

It was just after dusk, around 7:15 p.m., when a group of kids from a local society in Sector 84, Gurugram, gathered for a quick basketball match. The air was warm, the hoop was swaying gently, and the teenage chatter filled the court.

Out of the blue, the iron pole that held the hoop snapped and crashed down. In a split‑second, the heavy metal landed on a 12‑year‑old boy named Kartik – the son of a doctor – pinning him to the ground. Two other players managed to dodge the falling pole, but the damage was done.

Witnesses rushed to pull Kartik out from under the twisted metal and sprinted to the nearest hospital. Doctors later confirmed that the boy had sustained multiple fractures along his spine, a severe back injury that left him in a critical yet stable condition.

Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident in Haryana. Earlier this year a national‑level player, Hardik, died in Rohtak when a 750‑kg basketball pole toppled on him. Another tragic death was reported in Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar, under similar circumstances. The pattern is unsettling.

Residents of the society are now fuming. According to them, the pole had been rust‑eaten for months, never properly anchored with concrete, and was leaning dangerously. Complaints about its dilapidated state were allegedly ignored by the management and the maintenance crew – a lapse they describe as “gross negligence” and “criminal laxity.”

A formal complaint has been lodged with the local police. The victim’s family, along with other society members, are demanding an FIR and the toughest possible legal action against those responsible. A senior police officer confirmed that an investigation is underway and appropriate action will follow once facts are verified.

The incident has sparked a broader conversation about safety standards in community sports facilities. Parents and local authorities are urging immediate inspections and stricter maintenance protocols to prevent such heartbreaking accidents from happening again.