A 34-year-old mechanic from Bengaluru tragically lost his life in the early hours of Saturday after a desperate attempt to reach a hospital during a heart attack ended in a fatal fall from a scooter. His grieving wife has pointed to a fatal combination of delayed medical care and the indifference of passing motorists as key factors in his death.
A Desperate Midnight Ride for Help
Venkataraman, a resident of Balaji Nagar in Ittamadu, Banashankari III Stage, was asleep at home when he began experiencing severe chest pain around 3:30 am. His wife, Roopa K, immediately decided to take him on their scooter to a nearby private hospital in Kathriguppe.
However, their hopes for quick aid were dashed. Roopa states that the first hospital turned them away, citing no available doctor, and directed them to another private facility close by. At the second hospital, an ECG was performed, confirming Venkataraman was suffering a heart attack. Despite the diagnosis, the doctors allegedly advised the couple to go to Jayadeva Hospital for specialised treatment.
Roopa claims the hospital neither provided emergency treatment to stabilise her husband nor arranged for an ambulance. With time slipping away and fearing for his life, the couple made the fateful decision to briefly return home before attempting the journey to Jayadeva Hospital on their two-wheeler.
A Plea for Help Ignored on a Dark Road
Tragedy struck at approximately 4:21 am, barely 100–200 metres from their house, when Venkataraman was hit by another wave of intense chest pain. The scooter lost balance, and he fell onto the road. Roopa, injured herself, scrambled to her husband's side and realised his condition was critical.
What followed was a harrowing seven-minute ordeal. Roopa frantically waved at passing cars and two-wheelers, begging for assistance to get her husband to a hospital. "I begged people to stop and help me take my husband to the hospital," she recounted to the media. "But most of them just went past without stopping."
As Venkataraman lay on the road struggling to breathe, a pedestrian eventually stopped and stayed with them while Roopa continued her pleas. His sister arrived soon after with another person, and they too tried to flag down vehicles, with little success.
Too Little, Too Late: A Life Lost
Nearly seven minutes after the fall, a car driver finally stopped. By then, Venkataraman had lost consciousness. His sister performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for a couple of minutes before they rushed him to a nearby hospital. Doctors there declared him brought dead. The entire distressing incident was captured by a CCTV camera installed at a building near the spot.
Amidst her immense grief, Roopa made the compassionate decision to donate her husband's eyes. "If someone helped us immediately, my husband might have survived," she said, breaking down. "He wanted to live. That is why he tried to ride to the hospital despite his pain."
Roopa has demanded action against the private hospital she alleges failed in its duty by not providing treatment or an ambulance. She further suggested that their financial condition may have led to neglect by the hospital staff.
Expressing deep anguish over the public's response, Roopa said the incident highlighted a disturbing lack of compassion. "It was shocking how inhumane people were at that moment. Helping someone in distress can save a life. I request everyone please stop and help. No one should go through what we did," she appealed.
