Army Orders 2 Brigadiers to Probe Death of IMA Cadets in Training

Dipak Sharma (22) and Navin Chetri (23) became ill after participating in the run.

Two cadets of the prestigious Indian Military Academy in Dehradun died within three days of participating in a 10 km run as part of their routine training. The Army has ordered two Courts of Inquiries to investigate the circumstances of their death.

Dipak Sharma (22) and Navin Chetri (23) took ill after participating in the run held as part of their training schedule at Badshahibagh training area in Vikasnagar, in the outskirts of Dehradun, on Friday, sources said.

According to an Indian Express report, two Brigadiers have been appointed to conduct the two separate inquiries, and they will be assisted by two more officers in each inquiry as members. These Courts of Inquiries will analyse all the intricacies revolving around the events which led to the death of the two cadets and hospitalisation of five more due to dehydration.

They were immediately administered first aid.

Sharma, who hailed from Bathinda in Punjab, died at a hospital in Herbertpur during treatment on the same day, and Chetri, from Darjeeling in West Bengal, died during treatment at Mahanth Indresh Hospital in Dehradun on Sunday, they said.

Hindustan Times quoted a medical college spokesperson Bhupendra Raturi stating that 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,

Bhupendra Raturi

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

According to TOI, Brig (retd) Baljeet Singh, a former Army officer said, "The training imparted by the Army is a vigorous one and tests the physical endurance of cadets since it is oriented towards building their stamina. The passing away of a young cadet is extremely sad, but only after the post-mortem report can the exact cause of death be ascertained."

Ram Naresh Sharma, in-charge of the police station at Herbertpur, also told TOI that "the doctors at the hospital, where the Army cadet received initial treatment, were not clear about the reason for his collapse. It could either be due to exertion or perhaps the cadet had some other health issue. On our part, we authorised the post-mortem and sent the body to a hospital in Dehradun."

Such runs called route marches are held from time to time by the IMA to boost the cadets' stamina and endurance.

(With inputs from PTI, HT and TOI)