IMA cadet from Bathinda dies

Dehradun/Bathinda, Aug 19

A Gentleman Cadet of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, Deepak Sharma (22) of Bathinda, reportedly died of exhaustion during a 10-km cross-country race, a regular feature of the IMA training, on Friday. Six other cadets collapsed too.

At 2 pm, the cadet fainted in Badshahi Bagh area neighbouring UP’s Saharanpur district, a few kilometres from the final destination. He was administered first-aid. As his condition deteriorated, he was rushed to the nearest Lehman Hospital in Vikasnagar where doctors declared him ‘brought dead’. 

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The body was sent to Coronation Hospital, Dehradun, for postmortem. The status of the other six cadets could not be ascertained, but an officer claimed they were not in the  Military Hospital this morning. The Army has ordered a court of inquiry to ascertain facts  and fix responsibility. 

The incident turns focus on the level of fitness of cadets as well as the training methods and conduct of instructors. 

In Bathinda, the deceased’s brother-in-law, Dr Rajiv Kapila, claimed Deepak was physically fit and could not have collapsed. “His camp started on August 14. A day earlier, he sounded cheerful over the phone.”

Deepak had joined the IMA in January after completing studies at GNDU. — TNS