CRPF jawan Amal Barman dies of dengue in Gandhinagar; 43 Ekta Diwas personnel hospitalised
Synopsis
A 26-year-old CRPF jawan from Assam died of dengue at Gandhinagar Civil Hospital after being sent home as an outpatient just four days earlier — and he was not alone. With 43 fellow parade personnel now hospitalised and Gujarat's 2026 dengue tally already at 2,345, the outbreak at the Ekta Nagar National Unity Day camp has put the spotlight on vector-control failures at large defence gatherings.
Key Takeaways
Amal Barman , a 26-year-old CRPF jawan from Assam , died of dengue at Gandhinagar Civil Hospital on 7 October 2026 .
He first tested positive on 3 October , was treated as an outpatient, and was readmitted after his platelet count dropped and he developed chest pain.
The number of dengue-positive parade personnel hospitalised has risen to 43 , up from 24 reported earlier — only inpatient cases.
Personnel are in Gandhinagar preparing for the National Unity Day parade at Ekta Nagar on 31 October .
Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya has directed four health workers per accommodation block and ordered anti-larval and fogging measures.
Gujarat recorded 2,345 dengue cases and 1,401 malaria cases up to the 40th week of 2026 .
A 26-year-old Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, Amal Barman, a native of Assam, died at Gandhinagar Civil Hospital on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, after his platelet count declined sharply and he developed chest pain — the latest fatality in a dengue outbreak that has now put 43 parade personnel under hospital care. The personnel had gathered in Gandhinagar to prepare for the National Unity Day parade at Ekta Nagar scheduled for 31 October.
How the Fatality Unfolded
Barman first visited Gandhinagar Civil Hospital on 3 October and tested positive for dengue. At the time, his condition and other medical parameters were deemed satisfactory, and he was sent home with treatment and rest advice. Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Vipula Pandya confirmed this sequence of events, noting that outpatient management was standard protocol given the initial reports.
Barman returned to the hospital three days later as his condition deteriorated — tests revealed a drop in his platelet count. He was admitted, and early on Wednesday morning he developed chest pain and a feeling of uneasiness. He subsequently died, according to RMO Pandya.
Scale of the Outbreak
The number of dengue-positive CRPF personnel currently admitted to the indoor section of Gandhinagar Civil Hospital has climbed to 43, up from 24 reported just days earlier. Pandya clarified that the figure of 43 represents only those admitted as inpatients and does not include suspected or outpatient cases. Several other personnel have been admitted with fever and body aches and are awaiting test results.
The affected personnel have been drawn from different states and are staying in temporary accommodation in Gandhinagar as they rehearse for the parade. This is the second significant dengue cluster to emerge from the event's preparatory camps, raising questions about sanitation and vector-control readiness at the accommodation sites.
Government Response
Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya has directed officials to deploy four health workers in every block of the government accommodation and to ensure that no water stagnates anywhere on the premises. The state Health Department has ordered intensive fogging, anti-larval spraying, fever surveillance, and patient tracking at both the accommodation facilities and the parade ground.
Gujarat's Broader Dengue Picture
The outbreak comes against a worrying state-level backdrop. According to the Gujarat Health Department, more than 1.50 lakh serum samples had been examined at special diagnostic centres across 42 hospitals up to the 40th week of 2026, with 2,345 dengue-positive cases recorded. The state also reported 1,401 malaria cases from more than 1.39 crore blood samples tested for malaria over the same period. The clustering of cases at a single, high-profile defence event underscores the strain that inadequate vector control can place on large gatherings of personnel from diverse geographies.
With the National Unity Day parade still weeks away, health authorities will be under pressure to prevent further spread among the remaining personnel at the Ekta Nagar site.
Point of View
Only to return in a deteriorating condition four days later — a pattern seen repeatedly in dengue fatalities where the 'warning phase' is missed. Clustering of cases from multiple states in shared temporary accommodation is a textbook vector-multiplication scenario, and it raises the question of why anti-larval measures were not in place before personnel arrived, rather than after the first positive cases emerged. With the National Unity Day parade still weeks away and case counts nearly doubling within days, the Health Department's reactive posture may prove insufficient. The broader Gujarat dengue figure — 2,345 cases through the 40th week — signals that this is not an isolated camp problem but part of a statewide vector-control deficit.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Amal Barman and how did he die?
Amal Barman was a 26-year-old CRPF jawan from Assam who died of dengue at Gandhinagar Civil Hospital on 7 October 2026. He had first tested positive on 3 October and was managed as an outpatient, but was readmitted after his platelet count dropped; he developed chest pain and died in the early hours of Wednesday.
Why were CRPF personnel in Gandhinagar?
The personnel were in Gandhinagar to prepare for the National Unity Day parade at Ekta Nagar, scheduled for 31 October 2026. They were drawn from different states and housed in temporary government accommodation in the city.
How many personnel have been affected by dengue?
As of 7 October 2026, 43 CRPF personnel are admitted to the indoor section of Gandhinagar Civil Hospital with confirmed dengue. This figure covers only current inpatients and does not include suspected or outpatient cases; the number had risen sharply from 24 reported just days earlier.
What steps has the Gujarat government taken to contain the outbreak?
The state Health Department has ordered intensive fogging, anti-larval spraying, fever surveillance, and patient tracking at the accommodation sites and the parade ground. Health Minister Praful Pansheriya has directed that four health workers be deployed in every accommodation block and that all stagnant water on the premises be eliminated.
How serious is Gujarat's overall dengue situation in 2026?
Gujarat recorded 2,345 dengue-positive cases from more than 1.50 lakh serum samples examined at 42 hospitals up to the 40th week of 2026. The state also detected 1,401 malaria cases from more than 1.39 crore blood samples tested over the same period, indicating a broader vector-borne disease burden across the state.
