Another IMA cadet dies, second death since Friday

Asia

A cadet of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Dehradun, police said on Sunday. This was the second death of a cadet undergoing training at the country’s premier academy in less than two days.

Police said 23-year-old Navin Chhetri, a resident of Khaprel village in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, was admitted at the military hospital and was later referred on Saturday to Mahant Indresh Hospital, where he died on the same night.

A source said Chhetri fell ill after he participated in a cross country run on Friday. He fell unconscious and was rushed to the military hospital situated in the cantonment area.

However, HT could not independently verify the source’s information and IMA officials remained incommunicable.

Medical college spokesperson Bhupendra Raturi said the patient was brought to the hospital in a ventilator system.

“The patient was unconscious and was brought on a life support system. He was perhaps suffering from a kidney ailment. However, the post-mortem report could definitely reveal the reason behind his death,” he told HT.

A post-mortem examination was performed on cadet’s body by doctors on Sunday, and the body was later handed over to his family.

On Friday, Deepak Sharma, a 22-year-old cadet hailing from Bathinda in Punjab, died during routine training after falling unconscious on the 10-km cross country track.