During the first phase of West Bengal’s assembly elections on Thursday, a presiding officer at a polling booth in Paschim Bardhaman district suffered a heart attack, prompting swift action by Madhya Pradesh police personnel who saved his life.
The incident occurred at Polling Booth No 57 at Pranavananda Vidyanagar in Durgapur. While polling was underway, presiding officer Arup Sanyal suddenly collapsed after suffering a heart attack, triggering panic at the booth.
Personnel of the Madhya Pradesh Police’s Special Armed Force (SAF), deployed at the booth, acted promptly and administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), displaying calm and composure.
After SAF constable Sandip Kumar revived the presiding officer, other personnel, including assistant sub-inspector Vasudev Singh and constables Dipak Yadav and Brijesh Kumar, quickly arranged emergency medical services and rushed him to the hospital, saving his life.
Praising the life-saving efforts of personnel from the Second SAF Battalion, Gwalior, during polling in West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh DGP Kailash Makwana announced a cash reward of Rs 5,000 for constable Sandip Kumar, who revived the unconscious presiding officer by administering timely CPR.
The DGP also announced Rs 1,500 for assistant sub-inspector Vasudev Singh and Rs 1,000 each for constables Dipak Yadav and Brijesh Kumar.
“The incident truly expresses the spirit of the Madhya Pradesh Police’s core motto 'Promise of the Uniform' in which the safety and protection of citizens’ lives are given the highest priority in every situation. Along with responsibilities of law and order, this commitment to human values strongly reflects the sensitivity and service-oriented spirit of the police force. The Madhya Pradesh Police will continue to strengthen its commitment to the safety, service, and assistance of citizens, and will remain sensitive, vigilant, and responsible in every situation -- this is the essence of 'Promise of the Uniform'," the MP Police said in an official statement on Friday.