NEW DELHI: A 4-year-old boy died a tragic death after gym equipment installed in a west Delhi Park fell upon him.
The boy’s chest was crushed under the heavy weight of the equipment in the incident that occurred on Sunday, a senior police officer said on Monday.
The deceased child was identified as Arvind, a resident of New Moti Nagar in west Delhi. His father works as a labourer in Saudi Arabia, and his mother is a housewife.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vichitra Veer said a call about a child brought dead to the emergency ward of Acharya Bhikshu Hospital was received at Moti Nagar police station on Sunday.
“Enquiry into the matter revealed that the child was playing in the park with open gym equipment installed at A-Block Park, New Moti Nagar. Suddenly, the equipment fell on the child’s chest, leaving him unconscious,” the DCP said.
The boy was immediately rushed to the hospital but declared dead by the doctors. The officer said they had registered a case under the negligence provisions and begun investigating the incident.
According to the Delhi Development Authority website, open gyms have been installed in around 342 parks in the city. Delhi BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj expressed deep sorrow over the death of the child and attributed the incident to negligence in the maintenance of Delhi Municipal Corporation parks, besides demanding compensation for the bereaved family.
She claimed that only after the intervention of local BJP leaders was an FIR registered and an investigation initiated. She stressed the need for an immediate safety audit of all swings and fitness machines in the parks, citing the alleged poor condition of these public spaces.