Tragic death of Nepalese aspirant during OSAP recruitment practice in Jharsuguda

Jharsuguda: A 20-year-old Nepalese aspirant, who came to participate in the recruitment for Gorkha sepoys in the Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP), allegedly died of a heart attack during running practice at the Reserve Police Ground here on Sunday.The deceased was identified as Gobinda Kumal, a resident of ward 2 under Badigad Municipality in Nepal’s Baglung district.While the incident occurred in the run-up to a recruitment drive, six other deaths have been reported since March during physical efficiency tests conducted for the appointment of forest personnel and home guards at different places in the state.In Jharsuguda, the recruitment process is scheduled to commence on Sept 17 following document verification on Monday.“Several candidates were practising on their own. The session was not organised by police. We received information in the morning that a candidate for Gorkha sepoy recruitment had collapsed during a practice run,” said Commandant Shriprasad Tamang, OSAP 2nd Battalion.Kumal’s friends rushed him to the OSAP Unit Hospital, from where he was referred to the Jharsuguda district headquarters hospital in an ambulance provided by the battalion authorities.

“Unfortunately, the doctors declared him brought dead,” Tamang said. He added that Kumal’s family has been notified.Several Gorkha youths from Nepal and various parts of India, aged between 18 and 25, have gathered at Jharsuguda to participate in the recruitment drive.