Eerie silence on basketball court as players refuse to train

It has been four days since the tragic death of Hardik Rathee (16), a national basketball player. It has also been four days that the eerie silence over the two basketball courts of the Yuva Sports Club at Lakhan Majra village has not been broken. The spaces that once echoed with voices and the rhythm of dribbling balls now stand deserted, as youngsters, including several national-level players, have refused to train.

The death of Hardik, after a basketball pole collapsed on him during practice on Tuesday, has left the players shaken—the broken pole still lying in the court as a gruesome reminder of a promising life cut short.

Over 70 youngsters who trained here daily across three shifts are too frightened to return. Four players preparing for school national tournaments next month have also suspended their practice.

The players have decided not to resume practice until the government announces an indoor stadium named after Hardik. For them, the demand is both a tribute to a lost talent and a call for safer training conditions for every player.

“Since Hardik’s tragic death, no one has practiced here, and training will not resume until an indoor stadium is built. Both courts are in a poor condition, and the possibility of a similar incident cannot be ruled out. We have conveyed our demand to the state government through local leaders. The government must take a call,” said basketball coach Mohit Rathee.

The training session ran in three shifts: 5 am to 6.30 am, 9 am to 10.30 am, and 5 pm to 7 pm, but not a single session had been held since Hardik’s death. “The courts remain deserted as everyone is worried about their safety and parents are anxious,” he said.

Akshay, a national-level player who has been training at the court for the past decade, said the practice was off. “One pole has collapsed, and the other three are rickety. No one is willing to come to the court. Training will resume only once new courts are built,” he said.

Harsh and Lakshay, both scheduled to participate in a national tournament next month, echoed the same concern. Chirag, another player, said his parents no longer wanted him to practice here.

Recalling the tragic day, Hardik’s father Sandeep Rathee, who works on contract at a government department, said he was on duty in connection with the Prime Minister’s visit to Kurukshetra when he learnt about the incident. “Hardik had come home from Madhya Pradesh to check on his ailing mother. Despite being unwell, he went to practice with his younger brother on Tuesday morning. His mother asked him to eat, but he said he would have breakfast after practice. He never returned,” he said, knowing the void will remain.

Want stadium, not compensation

"Youngsters don’t want to be the Hardik who lost his life while practicing; they want to be the Hardik who dreamed of winning medals for the nation. But they fear risking their lives.

The government announced Rs 5 lakh as compensation, but we don’t want money. We want an indoor stadium so that youngsters can practice safely and excel at national and international levels.” — Sandeep Rathee, Hardik’s father