3 men who walked 25 km as part of govt job test dead, Odisha govt orders probe

According to officials, Pravin collapsed after completing around 4 km and was rushed to the Sundargarh medical college where the doctors declared him dead. Not just Panda, two others — 27-year-old Byomkesh Naik of Keonjhar and 26-year-old Gyanaranjan Jena of Jagatsinghpur — also died during the physical tests, conducted by the Odisha Sub-ordinate Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) in the past 24 hours.

Expressing concern over the death of three candidates during the physical tests, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to each of the deceased’s families.

Odisha Forest Minister Ganeshram Singh Khuntia said an inquiry has been ordered into the deaths of three candidates. “If anyone is found guilty during the inquiry, we will take action,” the minister said.

Pravin’s father Khadal Panda, who accompanied his son to Sundargarh to appear for the physical test, said it was still unclear to him what happened since his son had cleared the medical tests. “He cleared all the medical tests after which he was allowed to appear for the physical test. I don’t know what happened. The officials told me that my son had collapsed. We immediately rushed to the hospital where I came to know that he is no more,” Khadal Panda told reporters. The family conducted Pravin’s final rites on Wednesday.

A close relative of Pravin’s told The Indian Express that Pravin wanted a government job as he considered it more secure despite working at a private company for the past three years. Pravin is second among three siblings.

Naik, on the other hand, completed the endurance test but was rushed to the Keonjhar district headquarters hospital after he reported feeling “uncomfortable”. Naik was referred to the SCB Medical College and Hospital, where he died.

Like Panda, Naik, a native of Ostapanga village in Keonjhar district, was also a BTech graduate. He was working at a clerical post and had applied for the foresters and forest guards position for better prospects.

Amid concerns over the death during the physical test, conducted during the day with temperature above 30, the OSSC directed that authorities conduct the test early morning starting at 4.30 am.

Sources in Naik’s family said that he had recently cleared the Panchayat Executive Officer exam but confident of landing the forester job, he didn’t join. Sundargarh Additional DM Rabinarayan Sahu said arrangements were made and adequate staff, including paramedics, was deployed.