‘His bravery saved many lives’: Cop who died amid Surajkund fair swing collapse rescue op would have retired in March
Hailing from Mathura, 59-year-old Prasad had completed 36 years in the force. Posted in the Police Lines at Palwal, he was duty in-charge of the zone where the swing was located, a Faridabad Police spokesperson said.
3 min readFaridabadUpdated: Feb 8, 2026 08:30 AM IST
Family members of Inspector Jagdish Prasad (inset), who died, at the Badshah Khan Civil Hospital on Saturday night. (Express photo by Abhimanyu Hazarika)
Hailing from Mathura, 59-year-old Prasad had completed 36 years in the force. Posted in the Police Lines at Palwal, he was duty in-charge of the zone where the swing was located, a Faridabad Police spokesperson said.
His son, Gaurav Kunjil (32), told The Indian Express that he does not know whom to hold responsible for the death. “We do not know what happened,” he said.
Besides Kunjil, Prasad is survived by his wife and two daughters. Kunjil, who works as a supervisor in Sonepat, is the eldest among the three siblings.
The broken swing at Surajkund International Atmanirbhar Crafts Mela, in Faridabad on Saturday. (Express photo by Abhimanyu Hazarika)
His mother, who came to the mortuary at the Badshah Khan Civil Hospital, was inconsolable.
“Mujhe chor ke chale gaye (He left me)”, she sobbed.
According to police, after one end of the swing collapsed at the fairground, many people, including shopkeepers and policemen, rushed to rescue the victim.
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While the rescue operation was on, suddenly, the swing broke from the other end as well and fell to the ground, said police. Many people, including Prasad, got stuck and were seriously injured.
“Inspector Jagdish displayed extraordinary courage, dedication to duty, and human compassion while on duty”, Haryana DGP Ajay Singhal said. “Due to his promptness and bravery, many lives were saved, setting a living example of the highest traditions of police service.”
Among the eyewitnesses was Anuj Kumar (19), who sustained injuries in the accident. “It happened all of a sudden. I was near the (deceased) cop when it (metal) fell…,” he said.
The proprietor of a choley-bhatura stall located near the swing, Balveer Singh, rushed to rescue people but was injured when the other side of the swing collapsed on him.
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A staffer stationed near the swing that collapsed claimed over 18 ambulances arrived at the ground. Many of the injured were taken to the nearby Supreme Hospital at Charmwood village on Surajkund road. A guard at the hospital said some of the injured, hailing from Noida and Gurgaon, were discharged after being treated.
The Surajkund International Crafts Mela is held annually in Faridabad. This year, the focus was on the vision of Viksit Bharat-Atmanirbhar Bharat. The fair will end on February 15.
Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana.
Education
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020)
- B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019)
Professional Experience
Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features.
Reporting Interests
His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon.
Recent Coverage (2025)
- Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025).
- Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025).
- Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025).
- Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram.
- Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025).
- Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025).
Contact
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The broken swing at Surajkund International Atmanirbhar Crafts Mela, in Faridabad on Saturday. (Express photo by Abhimanyu Hazarika)