Jharkhand excise staff fitness test claims one more; toll 16

RANCHI/RAMGARH: Annu Bediya, a 30-year-old tribal youth from Sanki village in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district, died after collapsing while taking part in a 10-km run in Sahibganj district, during the recruitment test for excise constables in the state. With Bediya's death, the toll linked to the physical test for the recruitment drive has gone up to 16.

DIG (personnel) Naushad Alam said, "We have asked the Sahibganj SP to form a team to inquire into the case. We have also asked for postmortem reports for all the deaths. Some of them have arrived. An integrated report will be prepared."

Police said Bediya lost consciousness during the run on Sept 12 and was initially taken to a hospital in Sahibganj. He was later transferred to a hospital in Malda, West Bengal. Malda police have registered a case of unnatural death and initiated an investigation.

Sahibganj SP Amit Singh said his team would cooperate with their Malda counterparts in the investigation.

Bediya's elder brother Sandeep said doctors informed the family that reduced oxygen levels in the body caused his death. Family members claimed they bore the cost of transporting his body from Malda to their village in an ambulance, which amounted to Rs 18,000.