Tragedy struck ahead of a farmers’ protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Friday when a middle-aged farmer from Chamarajanagar died after collapsing en route to the venue.
The deceased, identified as Eshwar, aged between 50 and 55, was a resident of Kurubarahundi village near Gundlupete taluk. He had travelled with fellow farmers from Mysuru to Bengaluru by train to participate in the protest.
According to police, Eshwar suddenly collapsed near Sangolli Rayanna Circle while walking toward the protest site. He was rushed to a private hospital in Seshadripuram, central Bengaluru, but could not be revived.
Preliminary investigations suggest Eshwar had a history of diabetes and high blood pressure, though the exact cause of death remains unknown. Authorities are awaiting the doctor’s report before deciding whether to register an unnatural death case.
The incident has cast a pall over the day’s protest activities, with fellow farmers and supporters mourning the unexpected loss of one of their own.