Aspirant dies during physical test at Delhi Police Academy
A 23-year-old candidate taking part in the Physical Endurance and Measurement Test (PEMT) at the Delhi Police Academy in Wazirabad died on Monday after collapsing during the race, according to officials. Officials identified him as Saurav Kumar, son of Lachhi Singh, of Neta Nagar village in Salamatpur, Anupshahr tehsil, Bulandshahr district, Uttar Pradesh.
Kumar arrived at the academy to participate in the ongoing PEMT, which is a required part of the recruitment process for Constable (Executive) in Delhi Police. At DPA Wazirabad, candidates first run the race. If they qualify, they move on to other endurance and measurement tests.
Officials said the incident happened during the morning race. Around 9:09 am, Kumar finished the first three rounds. After the third round, he started feeling unwell. He went to the side of the track, where other candidates were sitting, and soon lost consciousness.
Ground staff saw his condition and quickly called the medical team. An ambulance was already on site as part of the test setup and reached him right away. Paramedics gave him CPR and then took him to the nearest hospital. At 11:11 am, Sonia Vihar police station was informed by Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital that a man had been brought to the emergency room by a PCR van from the Delhi Police Academy. Doctors tried to help him but declared him dead.
Later, he was described as having been brought dead. The body was sent to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for a post-mortem to find out the exact cause of death. His family has been informed. Local police are now handling the investigation. Sonia Vihar police station has started proceedings under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
Further investigation is under way. The investigation is ongoing. Officials said the medical team responded quickly. Because an ambulance was already at the venue, paramedics could start resuscitation right away and take the candidate to the hospital without delay.
The PEMT is a physically demanding stage of police recruitment. Male candidates in the relevant age group must complete a timed race before moving on to long jump, high jump, and measurement tests. Large numbers of aspirants from Delhi and neighbouring states, including Uttar Pradesh, appear at centres such as DPA Wazirabad each day during the scheduled window.
Authorities have not yet released the post-mortem findings. Until the results are available, the exact medical cause of the collapse remains unknown. Police said the investigation will look at what happened on the track, the first aid given, and the treatment at the hospital.
The academy continued the recruitment process under official supervision after the incident.
Officials said that medical teams and ambulances are always on standby at PEMT venues. Saurav Kumar’s family has been updated, and local police are handling the formalities, including the post-mortem and returning the body after legal steps are finished. The investigation into the death is still ongoing.
