A 34-year-old mechanic died in the early hours of Saturday after suffering a heart attack and falling from a scooter while being rushed to hospital, with his wife alleging medical negligence and public apathy contributed to his death.
Chest pain in the early hours
The deceased, Venkataraman, a resident of Balaji Nagar in Ittamadu, Banashankari III Stage, complained of severe chest pain around 3.30 am while asleep at home. Alarmed, his wife Roopa K took him on their scooter to a nearby private hospital in Kathriguppe.
According to Roopa, the hospital informed them that no doctor was available and advised them to approach another private facility nearby.
ECG confirms heart attack, but no ambulance
At the second hospital, doctors conducted an ECG and confirmed Venkataraman had suffered a heart attack. Roopa alleged that they were advised to take him to Jayadeva Hospital for specialised cardiac care, but no emergency treatment was provided and no ambulance was arranged.
With no immediate alternative, the couple decided to return home briefly and then attempt to reach Jayadeva Hospital on their scooter.
Collapse near home and desperate pleas for help
Tragedy struck around 4.21 am, just 100–200 metres from their house, when Venkataraman experienced severe pain again. The scooter lost balance and he fell onto the road.
Despite being injured herself, Roopa rushed to her husband and tried stopping passing vehicles. “I begged people to stop and help me take my husband to the hospital, but most of them just went past without stopping,” she told the media.
A pedestrian eventually stopped and stayed with them. Venkataraman’s sister arrived soon after and attempted to help. Nearly seven minutes later, a car driver finally stopped, by which time Venkataraman had lost consciousness. His sister performed CPR before they rushed him to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
CCTV footage and a final act of humanity
The incident was captured on a nearby CCTV camera. Despite her grief, Roopa chose to donate her husband’s eyes.
“If someone had helped us immediately, my husband might have survived,” she said, demanding action against the private hospital for allegedly failing to provide emergency care or arrange an ambulance. She also expressed anguish over what she described as growing public indifference.
Call for accountability and compassion
The incident has reignited concerns over emergency medical response and bystander apathy in Bengaluru, with Roopa urging citizens to stop and help people in distress, saying timely assistance can save lives.