Home guard jawan collapses, dies during wrestling match in Hamirpur

A 56-year-old home guard jawan has died while participating in a wrestling match at the local Chhinj fair at a village in the district, with police saying on Tuesday he stumbled and collapsed during the contest and became critical.

Hamirpur Superintendent of Police Bhagat Singh Thakur said the incident happened at Makker village on Monday evening and the body of Udham Singh was handed over to his family after postmortem.

He said what caused the death would be known after the postmortem report is received.

Chhinj fairs are organised in various parts of the state to promote local trade and sports like kushti (wrestling) and kabaddi. Other endurance sports are also organised as part of the fair and villagers join them in large numbers as spectators and participants.

Singh, a resident of Dhudana village in Galore who joined the home guard in 1996, has been participating in these wrestling matches for the last 40 years. The Makkar Dangal match on Sunday proved to be his last.

Police said Singh started stumbling and losing his balance during the match and eventually collapsed. The organisers and the spectators rushed to his help but his condition became critical and he was taken to the nearby Bhota Hospital.

He was declared dead by the doctors after a medical examination, they said.

The police took the body in custody and it was handed over to the family after postmortem. Police said they are investigating the matter.

District Home Guard Commandant Vinay Kumar remembered Singh as an extremely hard working member of the team.

“The District Home Guard Battalion has lost one of its experienced and dedicated members,” he said.