Two trainee Agniveer soldiers recruited under the short-term Agnipath Scheme undergoing training at Shillong’s Assam Regimental Centre (ARC) have died due to suspected meningococcal bacterial infection, the defence ministry said.
Twenty-eight other trainees are under observation at Shillong’s Military Hospital and their condition is stable.
One trainee died last week, and another on Monday, after both developed symptoms consistent with meningococcal infection at the Military Hospital.
In a statement on Wednesday, the defence ministry’s public relations office in Shillong said precautionary and containment measures were immediately put in place. “Prophylactic doses of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin have been administered to all identified contacts as a precautionary measure. Masking and restricted movement protocols are in place within the campus. There is no cause for alarm or panic.”
The bacterium Neisseria meningitidis causes the Meningococcal disease. It can manifest as meningitis, an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, meningococcal septicemia (bloodstream infection), or both. The disease can progress rapidly and has a high mortality rate if left untreated. It spreads through respiratory droplets and close contact, particularly in crowded institutional settings such as barracks or hostels.
The authorities have initiated contact tracing, chemoprophylaxis, symptom surveillance, and temporary restrictions on large gatherings within the training centre as part of standard outbreak response protocol.
The defence ministry rejected a message circulating on social media claiming that the Nipah virus had been detected at the ARC and the Gorkha Training Centre (GTC). “The message regarding Nipah virus detection at ARC and GTC is completely false. It is fake and a case of rumour mongering. There is no such case,” the statement said.
Officials maintained the situation is confined to suspected meningococcal infection cases and remains under control, with medical teams closely monitoring all contacts.
The authorities have urged the public to rely only on official statements and refrain from spreading unverified information, as laboratory confirmation and further medical evaluation continue.