Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, several poll personnel deployed in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have succumbed to the relentless heatwave in the past 24 hours. In the tragic incident in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, 13 poll personnel lost their lives at a local hospital due to high fever and high blood pressure, as reported by Dr. Raj Bahadur Kamal, principal of Maa Vindhyavasini Autonomous State Medical College.
The deceased individuals comprised seven home guard jawans, three sanitation workers, a clerk from the Chief Medical Officer’s office, a consolidation officer, and a peon from the home guard team.
In a separate incident in Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh, two on-duty polling personnel reportedly died due to heatstroke. According to Sonbhadra DM Chandra Vijay Singh, the polling party was preparing to leave from a dispatch center in Robertsganj when three officials, including a police personnel, fell ill due to the extreme heat. Two of them succumbed to their conditions, exhibiting symptoms consistent with heatstroke.
In the state of Bihar, the intense heatwave has claimed the lives of 24 people. The temperature has exceeded 44 degrees Celsius in the region, leading to severe discomfort and health concerns. At a polling station in Sasaram, Bihar, several security personnel fell ill due to the oppressive temperatures.
Dr. Ajeet Kumar of Sasaram’s Sadar Hospital stated that the security personnel suffered heatstroke, with one to two individuals in serious condition. Approximately six to seven personnel required immediate medical attention.
The rising temperatures have also impacted security personnel deployed at polling stations across the country. The Indian Army has issued an advisory to its personnel to take precautions against heatstroke and dehydration. The army has also set up heatstroke prevention centers to provide assistance to affected individuals.
