BENGALURU: In a heart-wrenching incident that has raised serious concerns about public apathy and humanity, a 34-year-old mechanic died after suffering a cardiac arrest on the road, allegedly following the failure of a private hospital to provide him an ambulance.
His wife’s desperate pleas for help from passersby for nearly 10 minutes went unanswered. The incident occurred in the early hours of December 12 at Kadirenahalli in Banashankari.
The deceased, Venkataramanan, is survived by his wife Roopa, five-year-old son, and a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. Roopa on Tuesday said that their ordeal began around 3:30 am when Venkataramanan vomited at home and complained of mild chest discomfort.
Hospital didn’t provide meds, ambulance facility to heart patient
Suspecting a heart problem, he decided to go to a hospital alone. However, Roopa insisted on accompanying him, and the couple left on a two-wheeler, with Venkataramanan riding the vehicle.
“We first went to a nearby private hospital, but the staff told us no doctors were available. We then went to another private hospital, where an ECG was conducted. After seeing the report, the doctors advised us to go to Jayadeva Hospital,” she said.
She alleged that despite the seriousness of the condition reflected in the ECG report, the hospital neither administered any medication nor provided ambulance support. “We requested for an ambulance, but they refused.
Out of fear and panic, we decided to head to Jayadeva Hospital on the two-wheeler,” she said. While on the way, Venkataramanan complained of severe chest pain and collapsed on the road even as he was riding the vehicle. Roopa fell along with him and sustained minor facial injuries.
“I cried and pleaded with every passerby, two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles for help,” she said, breaking down. “For nearly 10 minutes, no one stopped. If even one person had helped us, my husband might have been alive today.”
Eventually, her sister-in-law arrived at the spot and managed to request a cab driver, who took them to a nearby private hospital. But it was too late by then, and doctors declared Venkataramanan brought dead.
Venkataramanan’s younger sister, Subhashree, who appealed to the public to show humanity, said, “My brother always helped others, but when he needed help, no one came forward. For the sake of humanity, please help people in distress on the road. Helping each other strengthens humanity.”
Amidst all the grieving, the family donated Venkataramanan’s eyes, though they could not proceed with organ donation as valuable time had been lost. “He had no bad habits and no major health issues except gastric problems,” his wife said.