India: Bengaluru mechanic dies after being denied emergency treatment at hospitals

A 34-year-old mechanic from Bengaluru died after a series of delays and refusals by hospitals during a medical emergency, an incident that has renewed scrutiny of emergency healthcare response and public apathy in the city.

Venkataramanan, a resident of Balaji Nagar, developed severe chest pain at his home. With no ambulance or immediate medical assistance available, his wife took him on a motorcycle to seek urgent treatment, The Times of India reported.

Their first stop at a private hospital ended in refusal, with staff reportedly citing the absence of a doctor. At a second hospital, doctors conducted an electrocardiogram (ECG) which indicated that Venkataramanan had suffered a mild heart attack. However, according to the family, no emergency treatment was initiated and no ambulance was arranged to transfer him to a better-equipped facility.

Forced to continue their search for care on the motorcycle, the couple met with a road accident while travelling to another hospital.

CCTV footage from the area later showed Venkataramanan’s wife desperately pleading with passing motorists for help, her hands folded as her injured husband lay on the road. Several vehicles were seen driving past without stopping.

Eventually, a cab driver agreed to take Venkataramanan to a hospital. He was, however, declared dead on arrival.

Venkataramanan is survived by his wife, a five-year-old son, an 18-month-old daughter, and his elderly mother, who had already lost five other children earlier in her life.

Despite their grief, the family chose to donate Venkataramanan’s eyes, a decision that has drawn praise and underscored the tragedy of the circumstances surrounding his death.

The incident has sparked widespread concern over the failure to provide timely emergency medical care, the lack of ambulance support, and the unwillingness of bystanders to assist during life-threatening situations.