Home guard jawan collapses, dies during wrestling match at local Chhinj fair in Himachal Pradesh

NEW DELHI: A 56-year-old home guard jawan has died while participating in a wrestling match at the local Chhinj fair at a village in the district, with police saying on Tuesday he stumbled and collapsed during the contest and became critical.

Hamirpur Superintendent of Police, Bhagat Singh Thakur, stated that the incident occurred at Makker village on Monday evening. The body of Udham Singh was subsequently handed over to his family following the postmortem.

Chhinj fairs, which are traditional gatherings in various parts of the state, serve to promote local commerce and sporting activities including kushti (wrestling) and kabaddi.

These events attract substantial crowds of villagers who come to watch and participate in various endurance sports.

A resident of Dhudana village in Galore, Singh had been a home guard since 1996 and had actively participated in wrestling competitions for four decades.

The wrestling match at Makkar on Sunday would turn out to be his final competition.

According to police reports, during the match, Singh began to lose his balance and eventually fell.

Despite immediate assistance from organisers and spectators, his condition deteriorated rapidly, necessitating his transport to Bhota Hospital nearby.

Medical staff pronounced him deceased following their examination. The authorities took custody of the body for postmortem before releasing it to the family, and an investigation is ongoing.

District Home Guard Commandant Vinay Kumar spoke highly of Singh, noting his exceptional work ethic.

Kumar stated, "The District Home Guard Battalion has lost one of its experienced and dedicated members."