Pune: Authorities have registered a case of causing death due to negligence against four officials, including the principal, of the Tolani Maritime Institute (TMI) in connection with the death of a 20-year-old cadet. The cadet, Vishal Verma, suffered fatal head injuries when a basketball hoop structure collapsed on him while he was attempting to do pull-ups on April 5.
The incident occurred at the institute’s Induri campus in Maval taluka of Pune district. According to preliminary police reports, Vishal Verma, a second-year B.Tech student from Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, was exercising in the sports ground when he gripped the basketball hoop. The supporting iron pole dislodged and collapsed, striking him on the head. He was immediately taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The FIR names Principal Sanjeet Kanungo and three other unidentified individuals responsible for ground maintenance and sports department operations. The family of the deceased has alleged that the basketball pole was in a deteriorated, rusted condition and lacked proper upkeep, suggesting that the institute authorities ignored basic maintenance responsibilities. They have also claimed that timely medical assistance was not provided, with no immediate emergency response or ambulance available on campus at the time of the accident.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that prior complaints had allegedly been made by senior cadets to the institute’s sports committee about the basketball poles being shaking and unstable approximately 22 days before the accident. However, the institute’s principal, Dr. Sanjeet Kanungo, has denied knowledge of any such formal complaints regarding the safety of the basketball poles, stating that the incident was tragic but an accident. He mentioned that a structural audit is conducted every 30 years and while there is a regular maintenance schedule, no formal audit exists for such equipment.
Following the incident, an accidental death report (ADR) was initially registered at the Talegaon MIDC police station. An inquiry into the ADR revealed that the basketball hoop structure was old and rusted, and a lack of regular maintenance potentially contributed to the fatality. Based on these findings, Vishal’s brother filed an FIR. Police are continuing their investigation, collecting statements and evidence to ascertain the extent of responsibility.
The incident has brought into sharp focus the safety standards and maintenance protocols at educational institutions. The family of Vishal Verma, who was described as a talented student and an accomplished athlete, is seeking justice, having invested significantly in his education.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
