BSF orders inquiry after jawan weighing 160 kg dies during fitness course

A BSF jawan, weighing 160 kg, died while undergoing a physical fitness course. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared brought dead. The Border Security Force has ordered an inquiry into the matter.

New Delhi: The Border Security Force has ordered an inquiry to find out how a jawan weighing 160 kg was "declared fit" to take a physical fitness course during which he died, an official spokesperson said Monday.

Constable Vinod Singh, 45, died on July 17 after he "felt giddiness in the evening hours near his barracks" at the BSF subsidiary training centre in Rajasthan's Jodhpur.

He was rushed to a hospital but was declared brought dead, the spokesperson said.

Working as a water carrier in the 114th battalion, Singh had joined the training centre to undergo a physical fitness course on July 15, according to the BSF statement.

These fitness courses have been envisaged by BSF chief S S Deswal, who has ordered that all fat and obese personnel in the 2.5-lakh-strong force should be identified and sent for physical training.

Deswal, also the ITBP director general, is heading the BSF in additional capacity for over four months now. He has ordered a number of fitness courses at BSF and ITBP training centres and attended the closing day events of some.

"The jawan was a low medical category person having weight of 160 kg with a BMI of 52.98," the spokesperson said.

"However, it has been found that the deceased constable was declared fit for the above course. An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the circumstances under which the individual was declared fit for the course," he added.

The BSF Inspector General of the Rajasthan frontier, that guards the India-Pakistan border, has been directed to probe the incident and submit a report.

"DG BSF and all ranks are grief-stricken with the untimely demise of our comrade constable Vinod Singh. Prahari pariwar (border guards family) will always stand firm with the family members of the deceased," the spokesperson said.

Recently, the headquarters of the force here had ordered that personnel "weighing more than 105 kg be posted out to hard areas."

There are about two dozen such personnel in this category in the BSF, a senior official said.

PTI