As North India reels under a punishing early-season heatwave, Haryana has recorded what is believed to be its first heat-related fatality of the year.A 50-year-old labourer lost his life after collapsing due to extreme heat and humidity at the Punhana Grain Market in Nuh district.The deceased has been identified as Rajendra Paswan, a native of Samastipur, Bihar, who had been working in Nuh to support his family.According to eyewitnesses and fellow workers, Paswan was working at “Arat” (trading stall) number 40, loading heavy sacks of grain, when he suddenly succumbed to the soaring temperatures and fainted.Nearby labourers rushed to his aid and attempted to revive him, but Paswan died on the spot before medical assistance could intervene. Local police arrived shortly after to assess the situation.While a post-mortem report is awaited to confirm the official cause of death, authorities stated that, prima facie, it appears to be a case of severe heatstroke.The tragedy has sparked significant anger among the labor community at the Mandi (grain market).Protesting workers highlighted a dire lack of basic amenities despite the state government’s heatwave warnings: “There are no proper arrangements for shade, and even basic facilities like clean drinking water are unavailable at the market. We are forced to work in life-threatening conditions just to earn a living,” said one of the workers.The workers have demanded that the administration take immediate steps to provide cooling stations and water to prevent further loss of life during the peak afternoon hours.Haryana has been gripped by an intense heatwave over the past several days, with the mercury consistently crossing the 45°C mark in several districts. The Nuh district remained among the hottest this week.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has maintained an Orange Alert for the region, warning that the combination of high “dry bulb” temperatures and humidity is creating a dangerous “RealFeel” effect that is particularly hazardous for outdoor manual laborers. With no immediate respite in sight, the state health department has issued advisories urging citizens to stay hydrated and avoid outdoor activity between 12-4 PM, though for thousands of migrant workers like Paswan, staying indoors is often not an option.