A high-rise swing with many people, including women and children, on it crashed at a crowded fair in Dussehra ground in Punjab’s Mohali on Sunday, the police said.
A video of the incident is going viral, where the swing can be seen spinning and slowly ascending. It stopped at a height and continued to spin, but instead of descending slowly, the swing free-falls, injuring several people including children. The incident took place at around 9:15 pm in Phase-8 in Mohali on Sunday.
In the clip, many people were seen swinging out of their chairs into the air due to impact and a loud noise was heard causing panic. The clip has since amassed more than 4 million views. Watch it below:
Around 16 people suffered injuries and were taken to a civil hospital in Mohali. Most of them have suffered head, neck and back injuries, but all are stated to be out of danger.
Negligence on Organisers’ Part, Claim Cops
The organisers of the fair had permission to organise the event till September 4, however, a board notifying the extension of the deadline was put up at the spot which mentioned September 11 as the deadline, an official said.
“What we have come to know so far is that they had the permission to organise the show. However, no one would be spared if there is mistake committed on their part. Strict action will be taken according to the law,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Harsimran Singh Bal said.
A police official alleged that people instead of helping the injured, blamed the officials for arriving late to the spot. There were no ambulances at the fair, and there was some negligence on the part of the organisers, the official added. The police said the reason behind the malfunction is not known yet, and an investigation into the incident is underway.