On June 22, an 11 year old boy’s trip to Elante Mall, Chandigarh ended up in a heartbreaking tragedy. Sehbaaj Singh from Siana village, Nawanshahr district, Punjab, lost his life while taking mall’s toy train ride. He was visiting mall with his uncle, Jatinder Pal Singh, his wife and a cousin cousin.
According to reports, Sehbaaj was seated in the last compartment of the three-part train when it overturned while navigating a turn in the plaza area. Sehbaaj sustained a severe head injury and was trapped under the overturned compartment following the accident. The mall’s security cameras caught the accident.
Although Sehbaaj was hurried to Sector 32’s Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), he died. This has left his relatives in grief. They lodged a complaint with the police against the accused, driver of the toy train Sourav for the lack of care.
The Chandigarh Police filed a case at the Industrial Area police station, under Section 304-A which is about causing death by negligence, as per the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Arrested on Sunday, Sourav was however released on bail later.
The Elante Mall responded to the incident with a statement expressing their condolences to the family and full cooperation with the authorities. They confirmed that their emergency response team promptly transported Sehbaaj to the hospital and informed the police.
This heartbreaking accident has sparked concerns about safety standards at amusement zones within the city. Ajay Jagga, an activist and legal practitioner has called on the Administration in Chandigarh UT to carry out compulsory safety audits in each and every gaming zone including those within the Sector 34 Exhibition Ground. He stressed on the essence behind taking such action as it would go a long way in averting any more disasters.
Jagga further called for the reconstitution of the District Consumer Protection Council (DCPC) and highlighted the need for stricter regulations to ensure the safety of patrons at gaming zones. He also criticized the practice of requiring customers to sign waivers absolving management of responsibility in case of accidents, citing a recent Gujarat High Court case as a precedent for prioritizing consumer safety.
The Chandigarh administration is currently investigating the accident and is likely to reexamine safety protocols for amusement rides within the city. This incident serves as a vivid example of the need to put safety first when it comes to the recreational facilities especially those that are often visited by small kids.
