BENGALURU: A 34-year-old mechanic from south Bengaluru died after a harrowing ordeal that laid bare serious gaps in emergency healthcare and a troubling lack of public response.
Venkataramanan, a resident of Balaji Nagar, developed severe chest pain late at night. With no immediate assistance available, his wife placed him on a motorcycle and rushed him in search of medical help.
Reports say the couple first approached a private hospital but were turned away as no doctor was available. At a second hospital, an ECG reportedly showed he had suffered a mild heart attack. However, emergency treatment was not initiated and no ambulance was arranged, forcing the couple to continue their journey on the two-wheeler.
While travelling again, they met with a road accident. CCTV footage from the spot shows Venkataramanan lying injured on the road as his wife desperately pleaded with passing motorists for help, folding her hands in distress. Several vehicles are said to have driven past without stopping.
A cab driver eventually came to their aid and rushed him to a hospital, but doctors declared Venkataramanan dead on arrival.
He is survived by his five-year-old son, an 18-month-old daughter, and his mother, who had already endured the loss of five other children. Amid the tragedy, the family chose to donate his eyes, according to reports.
