Mukesh Ranjan
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 20

The border guarding force BSF on Monday said it has constituted a panel to investigate and ascertain the circumstances under which its trooper Vinod Singh of 114 Battalion was declared fit to undergo a physical training programme during which he died.

Official spokesperson of the Border Security Force said Rajasthan Frontier IG Amit Lodha has been assigned the task to investigate and report at the earliest possible time.

“The deceased BSF man was undergoing physical fitness course at Subsidiary Training Centre (STC) Jodhpur and on July 17 he complained about giddiness in the evening hours near his barracks upon which he was immediately evacuated to BSF Hospital and further taken to MDM Hospital, Jodhpur, where he was declared brought dead,” the spokesperson said.

According to the BSF officials, Constable Vinod Singh was a ‘Low Medical Category’ having “weight of 160 kg with BMI 52.98”.

However, it was found that the deceased was declared fit for the physical training course, they added.

Constable Singh is survived by his mother, wife and two sons.

Physical fitness is an integral and essential component of BSF to maintain a high level of professional standard and is given great importance in career progression also.

Hence, the courses in STC and Training Institutions are being conducted on a regular basis to improve and enhance the fitness of personnel in all ranks, the BSF said in a statement.