Mangaluru: A 15-year-old Class 10 student died after suddenly collapsing while playing volleyball with friends near Surathkal on Wednesday, raising fresh concerns over unexplained sudden deaths among young people.

The deceased has been identified as Likhith Amin, son of an autorickshaw driver from Surathkal. He was a student of Government High School, Kote Bollaru, Soorinje.

The incident has prompted the Karnataka Health Department to seek expert assistance from the Medical Education Department to determine the possible causes behind such sudden deaths and recommend preventive measures.

Student collapsed while playing

According to reports, Likhith collapsed unexpectedly while playing volleyball with friends. Despite efforts to save him, he could not be revived.

The tragic incident has shocked the local community and once again brought attention to a growing number of cases involving young and apparently healthy individuals suffering sudden cardiac-related emergencies.

Health Minister expresses concern

Reacting to the incident, Karnataka Minister for Health and Family Welfare U.T. Khader expressed condolences to the bereaved family and described the death as deeply painful.

He said the increasing number of sudden collapses among healthy youngsters and even school students was a matter of serious concern.

“We have been witnessing young, healthy individuals, and now even school students, collapsing suddenly and losing their lives. We want to thoroughly analyse the root cause behind these incidents,” the minister said.

Khader added that he would discuss the issue with the Medical Education Minister and senior cardiologists to understand the underlying reasons and explore possible solutions.

Government to review health screening

The minister highlighted that Karnataka already implements the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), under which health teams visit government schools annually to conduct medical examinations of students.

If any abnormalities are detected, parents are informed and treatment is arranged free of cost through government facilities.

However, he noted that the programme currently conducts screenings only once a year, and further study is needed to understand why such sudden deaths continue to occur despite preventive health initiatives.

The Health Department is expected to consult medical experts before deciding on any additional measures.