The incident took place at the prestigious IIITDM Jabalpur campus during a major incident at the NCC training camp where a large number of cadets suddenly became ill due to the extreme heat, resulting in panic among the officials and cadets.
Over 31 cadets were reported to be affected due to heatstroke and dehydration during the ongoing training camp. 15 boys and 16 girls are affected and it is said three to four cadets are in serious condition. All the sick students were immediately transferred to the hospitals nearby for treatment and medical observation.
The NCC training camp began on May 14 and would last till May 24. There were over 450 cadets taking part in the programme from various districts. It is thought to be the ongoing exposure to high temperatures, coupled with physical activity in the outdoors that started the health crisis.
The officials said the extreme heat situation is prevailing in the region with the temperature in the city of Jabalpur continuously ranging between 44°C and 45°C for the last few days. Harsh conditions of heat and strenuous activities outside reportedly caused dehydration and heat exhaustion among several.
The district hospital medical staff has been closely watching the situation of the affected cadets. Authorities have also told the parents of all students who were hospitalized and told they will be taking proper care of the students.
Officials are now looking at the safety concerns surrounding training camps during extreme weather situations to ensure they don’t happen again.