Three women collapse at cop recruitment drive

MUMBAI: Three women collapsed while running during the physical fitness test for recruitment as police constables, at Vikhroli on Saturday. In 2014, five men died and 15 other candidates, including nine women, collapsed during the run. The distance of the run has since been brought down to 800m from 3km for women and from 5 km to 1,600 metres for men.
The three young women were among the thousands who had come to participate in the qualifying test with hopes of donning the khaki uniform.They were immediately attended by on-site doctors and later moved to Agarwal Hospital.
Police officials at the spot said the race is usually conducted early in the morning, by 7am, while the evening session is after 6pm, to prevent the possibility of a heat stroke. But Renu Devde from Nanded, an aspirant, said, “Lack of effective management was evident in today’s race. The morning race scheduled for 7am started much later.”
Witnesses said the race started well after 8.30am, a time when maximum temperature recorded by IMD Santa Cruz was 34.4 degrees Celsius. Many of the women candidates lacked proper running gear and hence could have been susceptible to a heatstroke.
While several participants said covering 800 meters in less than three minutes is itself a herculean task, a cop said, “This race is just a qualifier to get into the department. Duty will be more difficult, probably in more adverse conditions. So contenders should train harder and regular practice will increase stamina.”
Shashikant Satav, deputy commissioner (quick response team) said, “The women who fell ill are out of danger and will be discharged by evening.”
This year, the police recruitment drive saw participation from over 30,000 men and women, said sources.