Rights panel takes cognisance of 4-year-old's death in open-air gym in Delhi

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a four-year-old boy died after a part of a machine in an open-air gym fell on him in a municipality-run park in West Delhi's Moti Nagar on October 13.

People present on the spot reportedly suspected that the nuts and bolts of the equipment were loose, which led to the incident.

The commission observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raised a serious issue of violation of rights due to the alleged negligence by the authorities in the maintenance of the equipment installed in the public park.

The incident raises serious concerns about the condition of equipment in other public parks governed, managed and maintained by the local government bodies in Delhi.

Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi; Vice-Chairman, Delhi Development Authority (DDA); Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD); and Secretary, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks.

The authorities are also expected to inform whether any compensation has been paid to the aggrieved family. The report should also include the status of the maintenance and safety audit of the swings and gym equipment, etc., installed in the parks under their jurisdiction in Delhi.

The commission has also asked the Commissioner of Police to submit his comments on the subject along with the status of the police investigation being conducted in the case.