Photo credit: PTI
The mortal remains of 58‑year‑old Haryana Police Inspector Jagdish Prasad, who succumbed to fatal injuries sustained while rescuing people after a giant swing collapsed at the Surajkund fairgrounds, were cremated with state honours in his native Dengar village in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.Prasad’s last rites were performed with full rituals on the banks of the Yamuna River, where his son Gaurav lit the funeral pyre. Hundreds of people from the village and nearby areas gathered to pay their respects, an official said, news agency PTI reported.Paying tribute to Prasad’s bravery, Palwal SP Varun Singla said every Indian is proud of his dedication and courage. The SP also consoled the family members of the late inspector.The accident occurred on Saturday evening when about 19 people were riding a giant swing at the fair around 6 pm. The swing tilted before crashing to the ground, leaving the police officer dead, and several others injured.Prasad, who joined the Haryana Armed Police in 1989 and was due to retire in March after completing 36 years of service, was among the first to respond to the accident, senior officers said. While trying to help those trapped under the collapsed structure, he sustained severe injuries that later proved fatal. Prasad’s nephew Prashant, who was at the venue at the time of the incident, described the sequence of events.“When the swing broke, Jagdish uncle was the first to engage in rescue operations. He began pulling out those trapped beneath the swing. He had already rescued some people and was still trying when the broken swing tilted too far towards him, trapping his neck. He suffered serious injuries. After this, he was taken to the hospital but could not be saved,” Prashant told news agency PTI.Speaking about the last time the family met Prasad, his son Gaurav said, “He had promised to meet again only after the fair was over, but that meeting proved to be the last. One of my sisters had to get married in November, but all shattered now.”Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini also expressed condolences and assured full support to the family saying, “I assure the family members that the government stands with them in every possible way. We will provide all possible assistance. Along with this, the police officer who was martyred will be provided with financial security, as he was on duty there. We will also provide a government job to one of his children,” he added, as quoted by news agency ANI.