Nearly four months after a deadly ride collapse at the Surajkund Mela in Faridabad claimed the life of a police inspector and left several others injured, investigators have apprehended the man responsible for assembling the ill-fated 'Tsunami' swing. This arrest marks the sixth accused taken into custody in a case that has laid bare serious gaps in the safety oversight of amusement rides at large public events.
Assembler Arrested After Months-Long Investigation
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the February 7 incident arrested Raees Ahmad, a resident of village Khatoli in Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, from the Surajkund Complex in Faridabad on Thursday. Ahmad was produced before a court, which granted him bail the same day. The investigation has established that Ahmad was responsible for assembling the ride that collapsed during the fair.
Chain of Events Leading to Tragedy
The February 7 collapse set off a chain of events that turned a rescue operation into a second tragedy. When the ride broke, police and administration teams rushed to evacuate visitors from the site. During the rescue, a second section of the ride also gave way. Inspector Jagdish Prasad, who was overseeing the evacuation, died in the line of duty. Several other police personnel sustained injuries. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as the structure came down with visitors still in the vicinity.
Investigation and Arrests
A case was registered at Surajkund police station, and an SIT was constituted given the gravity of the incident. The team has since been working to establish accountability across the full chain of the ride's lifecycle, from manufacture and transport to assembly and operation. Five accused had been arrested prior to Ahmad's detention, bringing the total to six.
Investigators are now focused on determining which individuals bore responsibility at each stage and whether the collapse resulted from negligence, a technical defect, or a combination of both. The full picture, police say, will emerge once the investigation concludes.
Safety Audits Ordered
The incident prompted the district administration to order safety audits of all other rides and temporary structures installed at the mela, raising broader questions about the adequacy of certification and inspection protocols for amusement equipment at large public gatherings in Haryana.
