Vadodara: Fair organiser among three arrested day after amusement ride gates open midair

The City Ride Safety and Inspection Committee — set up to implement The Gujarat Amusement Rides and Gaming Zone Activity Safety Rules — on Thursday questioned the three accused at Raopura police station to prepare its inspection report in the case, police said, adding that they were formally arrested later in the day.

Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, an FIR was lodged at Raopura police station against the Mela organiser, manager and ride operator, based on the complaint of Vadodara resident Jayesh Bhaliya, whose four-year-old son was among the children, who fell from the ride.

In his complaint, Bhaliya alleged that the speed of the ride had increased suddenly after the first three rotations as the operator turned on the levers.

“At that time, suddenly the door of the cabin that my son was sitting in, opened and my son was dangling on the side. A child from another cabin of the helicopter ride also fell out as the second door opened… I immediately pulled out my child from the ride but before I could reach out for the other child, panic had ensued and the operator escaped without turning off the ride,” Bhaliya said in the complaint.

The complainant alleged that another person pulled out the cables of the ride to bring it to a halt, thus averting a mishap. “While I moved to turn off the switch, another man pulled the cable out from under the base, bringing the ride to a gradual halt. We called the police control room. Although my son did not have any visible injuries, he was extremely scared… The organisers and managers of Royal Mela did not conduct appropriate inspections,” the FIR quoted Bhaliya as saying. The inspection committee is also expected to visit the Royal Mela spot to verify the permissions granted to the organisers and the actual installations on the ground as it has come to light that “the helicopter fun ride, which is under contention, was not part of the list of rides that have been granted permission”.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, JC Kothiya, said, “The fair organiser, manager and the ride operator have been arrested. Once the inspection committee submits its report, further action will be decided… The organisers had taken permissions for the fair but the committee has already begun its work on ascertaining which rides were permitted, which were installed and whether they were fit for certification”.

The accused have been booked and arrested under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), and 289 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery), said the police.

DCP Kothiya added that the police will also consider invoking other sections of the BNS based on the recommendation of the inspection committee.