Uttar Pradesh: Two personnel deployed on polling duty die of heatstroke in Sonbhadra

May 31, 2024

Sonbhadra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 31 : Two on-duty polling personnel deployed for Lok Sabha polls died of heatstroke in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra district amid the rising temperatures, said an official on Friday.
District Magistrate, Sonbhadra, Chandra Vijay Singh informed about the casualties and said, "A polling party was supposed to leave from the dispatch centre in Robertsganj today. Three polling officials including a police personnel and others fell ill due to heat. Two polling officials have died."
"The CMO mentioned heatstroke-like symptoms were seen in the polling officials who were brought here," said the official.
In another incident, six jawans died allegedly due to heatstroke while performing election duty in the Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh, said an official of Mirzapur Medical College on Friday.
A total of 23 jawans from the police armed constabulary, fire department, civil police and home guards were admitted to the hospital with complaints of heat stroke.
Detailing about the incident RB Lal, Principal, Medical College, Mirzapur said, "A total of 23 Jawans has come to us out of which one is PAC, one from fire service and one of civil police. While the rest of the 20 jawan are home guards. Out of which six mortalities have been reported till now. Two of the jawans are critical and the rest are stable."
"They are diagnosed with high blood pressure and high-grade fever which can cause brain stroke leading to death. They are deployed in election duty and are from different districts," he added.
Meanwhile, amid an intense heatwave, as many as 24 people have lost their lives across Bihar.
The temperature in the state has exceeded 44 degrees Celsius. At least 5 people died at a hospital in Bihar's Aurangabad district on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, four people, including a worker on election duty died in the Kaimur district, while three deaths were reported in Bhojpur's Arrah.
Meanwhile, security personnel deployed at a polling station in Bihar's Sasaram fell ill due to extreme temperatures.
"Due to the heatwave and excessive temperatures, the security personnel suffered heat stroke. 1-2 out of them are in a serious condition. There are roughly 6-7 people whom I have recently attended," Sadar Hospital's Dr Ajeet Kumar told ANI.
Four people also succumbed to heatstroke and died at the Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) in Odisha's Sundargarh on Friday morning, said an official.
Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Rourkela, Ashutosh Kulkarni shared details about the heatwave-related deaths and said, "As many as 50 patients were brought to the RGH Hospital yesterday following extreme heatwave conditions in the district, after which all of them were admitted. Four people succumbed to the heatstroke and died here at the hospital in Rourkela."
Heatwave conditions continue to relentlessly grip parts of India, claiming at least 54 lives and pushing temperatures to unbearable highs.
Bihar has been the worst-hit state, with over 24 deaths attributed to the extreme heat.
Other states including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh have also been seeing fatalities.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of severe heatwave conditions persisting for several days.
Cities like Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu have been sweltering under the relentless sun.
The IMD said on Wednesday that the heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailing over Northwest and Central India are likely to reduce gradually from May 30.
It further said that hot and humid weather is very likely to prevail over isolated parts of Konkan and Goa on May 30 and 31.