A 26-year-old CRPF jawan from Assam has died while being treated for suspected dengue in Gandhinagar, where more than 40 personnel from security forces staying in temporary government housing have been hospitalised with mosquito-borne disease symptoms, according to Nav Gujarat Samay. The death is being investigated, with the body sent for post-mortem examination.
The personnel had come from different states for preparations linked to the National Unity Day parade scheduled at the Statue of Unity on October 31. They were accommodated temporarily in under-construction government housing in Sectors 28 and 29 of Gandhinagar.
According to the report, several personnel developed fever and symptoms associated with dengue over the course of the week. The Assam-based jawan’s condition reportedly worsened during treatment, after which he was moved to a special ward at Gandhinagar Civil Hospital. He died there on the morning of October 8.
The cause of death has not yet been conclusively established. The report describes it as suspected dengue and says the body was sent for post-mortem examination. This distinction is significant because the hospitalisation pattern and symptoms have been reported before laboratory or post-mortem confirmation of the precise cause of death.
Senior CRPF and police officials reached the civil hospital after being informed of the death. The incident has also triggered an immediate response from the local health department and Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation, with officials focusing on mosquito-control measures at the temporary accommodation site.
Health authorities have begun spraying medication in and around the government housing complex, according to the report. The measures are intended to control mosquito activity and reduce the risk of further transmission among personnel living at the site.
The temporary housing arrangement has placed a large group of personnel in an under-construction residential compound rather than an established operational campus. The report does not provide details on the site’s drainage, water storage, waste-management arrangements or the number of mosquito-breeding sites identified by officials. It also does not state how many of the more than 40 hospitalised personnel have tested positive for dengue.
The episode brings together two immediate administrative responsibilities: ensuring medical care for personnel deployed for a national event and maintaining safe living conditions in temporary accommodation. For the municipal and health authorities, the next steps include identifying the source of mosquito proliferation, continuing vector-control work and monitoring those who remain at the site.
The National Unity Day parade is scheduled for October 31 at the Statue of Unity. The reported post-mortem examination and the health department’s continuing assessment will determine whether the suspected dengue diagnosis is confirmed and whether additional measures are required at the accommodation complex.
