8-year-old crushed to death by pitch roller at Gurugram cricket academy

An eight-year-old boy was crushed to death by a pitch roller at a cricket academy in Gurugram after another child allegedly switched on the stationary machine while children were playing, according to the family.The incident took place at a four-acre cricket academy owned by a man identified as Ashu. The deceased was the son of Ratan, a native of Nalanda in Bihar who worked in the scrap trade in Gurugram. The family lives in the area.CHILD CRUSHED BY PITCH ROLLER WHILE PLAYINGThe eight-year-old was playing with other children inside the cricket academy when the pitch roller, which was stationary at the time, was accidentally activated.According to the account given by the family, a child flipped the Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB) of the machine. The pitch roller then started moving. As the roller moved, the deceased child lost his balance and fell into its path. He was run over by the machine and died on the spot.The other children at the academy fled after witnessing the incident.FAMILY LEARNS OF ACCIDENT ABOUT AN HOUR LATER About an hour after the incident, the victim's elder brother returned home and told the family that the eight-year-old had been injured.When the family reached the cricket academy, players who had arrived for cricket practice had already found the deceased child lying on the ground, covered in blood. They arranged a private vehicle and rushed him to a nearby hospital.Doctors examined the child at the hospital and declared him dead on arrival.The family said they had initially been unaware of the seriousness of the incident and came to know about the child's death some time after the accident.POLICE REGISTER CASE AS ACCIDENTAL DEATHAfter receiving information about the incident, the police took possession of the body and began an investigation.Investigating officer Ranjeet said the family considered the incident a freak accident and did not make any allegations of negligence or wrongdoing against the academy operator or anyone else.Based on the family's written statement, police completed the legal formalities under the category of "Accidental Death."The child's body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination.- EndsPublished On: Aug 29, 2026 20:52 IST