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Inspector who died in Surajkund swing mishap won Police Medal in 2020

Hindustan Times 11:54 PM UTC Sun February 08, 2026 Health
Inspector who died in Surajkund swing mishap won Police Medal in 2020

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The 58-year-old police inspector who died while trying to save people after a swing collapsed at Surajkund fair in Faridabad received a Police Medal by the Haryana governor in 2019-2020. Jagdish Prasad, who joined the Haryana Armed Police in 1989, was about to retire in March and was on-duty at the time of the incident.

Police inspector Jagdish Prasad was trying to rescue those trapped in the swing but received injuries that led to his death. (PTI)At least 13 people were injured, and the police inspector was killed after a swing tilted around 6 pm on Saturday and collapsed to the ground in Faridabad's Surajkund Craft Fair.

The police inspector was trying to rescue those trapped in the swing but received injuries that led to his death. Two women constables were also injured in the rescue operation.

Also read: Supporting pillar failed, structure tilted and crashed: Moment swing collapsed at Surajkund fair | Video

One of Jagdish Prasad's brothers said that they received the news at 8 pm on Saturday. "My brother was awarded the Police Medal by the governor in 2019-20," he was quoted as saying.

On Saturday night, Harayana DGP Ajay Singhal announced a compensation of ₹1 crore for the brave inspector and a government job to one member of his family, news agency PTI reported.

The DGP lauded Prasad's sacrifice while trying to save others and said that he will be honoured.

Meanwhile, the district administration also informed that the 39th Surajkund International Craft Fair will continue on Sunday, with the swing area closed for further investigation. A case has been registered against the swing vendor, and a committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner will investigate the accident.

Also read: Gate collapse, then swing accident: Two mishaps in one evening at Surajkund mela

The sudden demise of Jagdish Prasad has left his wife, two daughters and a son in shock. All his children are still students, and his family lives in a government accommodation in the Sonipat Police Lines.

One of his brothers, Pradeep, lives in their native village in Mathura's Dengra and teaches for a living. While his other brother, Satish Chandra, works at a chemical factory in Ballabgarh, and a third brother, Chandrabhan Singh, works at a motor company in Faridabad.

The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of visitors at the fair, with this being their third such incident. Despite a death in 2002 and an injury in 2019, Saturday saw another fatality.

In 2002, a young man died on a swing in the Surajkund fair area. At that time, swings were suspended for a few years, the report said. Another incident occurred in 2019 when a young man was injured, after which swings were again suspended before being restarted, keeping in view the revenues they generated.

Officials say that strict rules have been imposed for installing swings, with daily inspections needed to be conducted.

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