A 15-year-old girl died of a suspected heart attack after securing third position in a school marathon during a sports day event in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, an official said on Sunday.

The incident occurred on Saturday at Bharati Academy English School in Velji village in the Talasari area.

“Class X student Roshni Goswami, a resident of Umbargaon, stood third in the marathon. Eyewitnesses said she experienced breathlessness after completing the race, sat down and then fainted,” the official said.

Teachers attempted to provide initial treatment before rushing her to a nearby hospital in a private vehicle, where doctors declared her dead on arrival.

“We suspect she suffered a heart attack,” school principal Rakesh Sharma said.

Her mother, Sunitaben Goswami, said Roshni had started the day normally, waking up on time, eating a proper meal and leaving for school with her lunch packed.

"She even touched my feet seeking blessings for her marathon race. In the afternoon, we got the devastating news of her demise," Sunitaben said.

A Gholwad police station official said an accidental death case has been registered.

"Some police personnel were present at the event. They will be spoken to as part of the probe. We are awaiting the post mortem report to know the exact cause of death," he added.

The incident, however, has evoked sharp reactions from some local education activists, who cited that such "high intensity" sporting events are often held in hot conditions without professional first aid, on-site doctors, or ambulances.

Often students take part in long-distance races without prior medical screening or physical conditioning to check hydration and nutrition levels, they added.