TOI

Bangalore, Jul 1: An amusement ride with her three-year-old daughter turned tragic for a woman at Bal Bhavan in Cubbon Park on Monday.

Around 1 pm, Ayesha (24), along with boyfriend Rajesh and daughter Nimra, came to Bal Bhavan. They sat in an amusement ride, Tora-Tora. Just as the ride had started, Nimra slipped from her mother's hand and fell off. A startled Ayesha jumped down to rescue the little one — a leap from over 5 feet. She fell on a railing surrounding the platform, and succumbed to a severe head injury.

Little had Ayesha known that onlookers had caught her daughter. The child escaped with minor injuries. Ayesha was rushed to Bowring Hospital, where she was declared brought dead.

There were not many people around, Monday being a weekday. Though Bal Bhavan's administrative office is closed on Monday, the amusement park runs throughout the week as it has been outsourced.

The police took Rajesh into their custody and sent Nimra to Shishu Mandir, an organization for destitute children run by the women and child welfare department.

Department secretary Shalini Rajneesh said a case of negligence has been registered against the contractor who runs the amusement park. "The contractor was asked to close the amusement park on June 13.

He subsequently sent a legal notice saying he had invested Rs 30 lakh and would lose heavily if he suddenly closed the facility. But we insisted and promised some compensation, yet he didn't act on the notice. The department will take action now," she said.

Authorities have decided to discontinue risky rides in the park. A compensation of Rs 1 lakh will be paid to the child. Only three months ago, Ayesha had set out from Gadag with Nimra, abandoning her husband Abdul Razak and dreaming of a happy life with Rajesh.

The trio visited various places in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh before arriving in Bangalore on Monday. Rajesh said: "We arrived here this morning and planned to settle here. We set out looking for a house-keeping job and were asked to come at 2.30 pm by our prospective employer's relative. Since it was only 11 am, we thought we would do a little sight-seeing. We saw Vidhana Soudha and later came to Bal Bhavan when the tragedy took place."

Rajesh was working as a cashier in a private company in Mangalore. He had then befriended Ayesha's husband. Rajesh started frequenting their house and Ayesha used to complain to him that she was being harassed by her husband.

Following this, the duo decided to leave Gadag and come to Bangalore.

Nimra is unaware she is left motherless.