Heart Attack Deaths During Garba Shock Gujarat; Govt Takes Action

In a shocking series of events, in the last 24 hours, a minimum of 10 people lost their lives while doing Garba as part of the Navratri festivities in Gujarat.

The youngest who passed away was a 13-year-old boy from Dabhoi in Varodra.

Deaths By Heart Attacks

As reported by India Today, during the initial six days of Navratri, the 108 emergency ambulance services reported 521 phone calls related to cardiac problems and an extra 609 calls concerning difficulty in breathing. These incidents occurred between 6 pm and 2 am, coinciding with the typical hours of Garba celebrations.

On October 20, a 24-year-old from Ahmedabad collapsed and passed away during a Garba performance. Likewise, a 17-year-old boy from Kapadwanj lost his life while engaged in Garba dancing. 

Tragedy Amidst Celebration

According to NDTV, the 17-year-old Veer Shah was doing Garba, when his nose began to bleed. He was then transported to a hospital. By the time his parents, who were engaged in their own celebration at a separate event, arrived at the hospital, Veer had already been declared dead. Heart attack was cited as the cause.

Upon learning of Veer's unfortunate demise, participants at the Garba event where he had been dancing observed a two-minute silence in his memory. The organisers cancelled the event scheduled for the following day, and many other event organisers in Kapadvanj followed suit.

Tragically, similar incidents, including the untimely deaths of individuals in their twenties, have also been reported in Ahmedabad, Navsari, and Rajkot in the state over the past 24 hours.

13-Year-Old Passes Away

In a startling turn of events, a 13-year-old also succumbed to a heart attack in Vadodara. Vaibhav Soni was coming back from a Garba event on his bicycle when he fell, sustaining minor injuries. He received medical attention at a hospital and was subsequently discharged.

Later on, Soni began to experience chest pain, prompting his family to administer some medication and put him to rest. However, when he failed to awaken after a few hours, he was rushed to a hospital, where doctors sadly pronounced him dead. 

State Takes Action

The concerning pattern of deaths has spurred government authorities and event coordinators into action.

The state government has issued a warning to all government hospitals and community health centres located in proximity to Garba sites, urging them to maintain a heightened state of readiness.

Furthermore, Garba event organisers have received directives to establish clear pathways for ambulances to quickly access the venues in the event of emergencies.

In addition, Garba organisers have taken measures to enhance participant safety by stationing medical professionals and ambulances at the venues. They have also been advised to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to their staff and ensure an ample supply of water for the attendees.

Suggested Reading: Many Wait Hours After Heart Attack To Seek Help. What Needs To Change