Sarvesh Sharma, linked to disputed ₹3.5 crore Army drone claim, critically injured after hostel fall in Hamirpur

Sarvesh Sharma, the Hamirpur polytechnic student earlier mentioned in reports about a purported Rs 3.5 crore defence drone project, is said to be in critical condition after falling from a hostel building on 28 October 2026. He has been prepared for possible referral to PGIMER Chandigarh, while medical and police updates are still awaited.

Incident at Government Polytechnic College, Hamirpur

The fall took place on Wednesday afternoon, 28 October 2026, at the hostel of the Government Polytechnic College, Hamirpur (Baru), Himachal Pradesh. Local accounts differ on the exact floor from which Sharma fell: most say the third floor, while a few mention the second floor. Preliminary reporting has pointed to possible dizziness and loss of balance, but police have not confirmed the cause and are examining all possibilities. No official finding has been reached on whether the incident was accidental or otherwise.

According to local reports, Sharma suffered serious injuries, including a leg fracture and trauma to the jaw and neck. He was taken to the casualty ward of Dr. Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur. Medical Superintendent Dr. Deshraj Sharma confirmed that treatment is underway and that the state government has ordered free medical care.

Reports from the evening of 28 October said his condition remained critical and that arrangements were being made to shift him to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, for advanced treatment. As of the latest available information, the transfer had not been officially confirmed.

Police in Hamirpur have registered the matter and started an investigation. Superintendent of Police Balbir Thakur and local officers have said that all aspects of the fall are under scrutiny. The exact sequence of events remained unconfirmed in the initial phase of reporting.

Background to the Drone Project Claims

Sarvesh Sharma is from Bahanvi village in Hamirpur district and is the son of a daily-wage labourer. In September 2026, several media reports said he had secured a Rs 3.5 crore grant under the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) and Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) programme for an indigenous surveillance drone called Rudra Edge T-1 (Spectra) for the Indian Army.

Those reports described the drone as being meant for high-altitude border operations and claimed that it could reduce radar detection and resist jamming. Sharma was also reported to have built an earlier low-cost prototype for around Rs 87,000 after his team finished fourth in a national-level drone competition organised by IIT Jodhpur and the Konark Corps, for which they won a Rs 10 lakh prize. Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta reportedly felicitated him around 23 September 2026.

On 28 October 2026, the same day as the hostel fall, the official iDEX/DIO handle issued a clarification stating that the claim of a Rs 3.5 crore iDEX grant sanctioned to Sarvesh Sharma for an Army drone was FAKE. The organisation advised people to verify such information through official sources before sharing it. The clarification said the reports had been circulating for about two months.

The student’s work on a low-cost drone prototype and his participation in the earlier competition remain part of the public record in local and national coverage, separate from the disputed grant claim.

Further clarity on Sharma’s condition and on any transfer to PGIMER Chandigarh will depend on more medical updates from Hamirpur and Chandigarh. The police inquiry into the circumstances of the fall is still continuing.