‘Pleaded for help, humanity failed’: Man injured on way to hospital after heart attack dies on Bengaluru streets; family donates eyes

In an appalling incident, a 34-year-old mechanic died on the streets of Bengaluru after a shocking series of events that exposed the deficiencies in emergency healthcare and public empathy. The mechanic, Venkataramanan, a father of two kids living in Balaji Nagar, complained of severe chest pain. His wife understood the gravity of the situation and took him on a motorcycle to seek medical assistance, but little did she know that her nightmare had started. The couple was turned away from two hospitals.

They first stopped at a private hospital but were told that no doctor was available at the time. At the second hospital, an ECG was conducted which indicated that he had suffered a mild heart attack, but the staff reportedly neither started any emergency treatment nor arranged an ambulance. She was reportedly advised to take him elsewhere, but ambulance services failed to respond in time.

They headed to another health facility but met with an accident on the way.

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CCTV footage shows woman pleading with passing vehicles

CCTV footage from the spot shows Venkataramanan’s wife pleading with passing vehicles for assistance with folded hands while her ill husband now lay injured on the road, but no one stopped.

Several vehicles passed without stopping until a cab driver eventually stopped to help and took him to the hospital, where Venkataramanan was declared dead on arrival.

Venkataramanan leaves behind a five-year-old son, an 18-month-old daughter, and his mother, who had already lost five other children.

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Moreover, in a gesture of ungrudging generosity amid tragedy, the family has donated his eyes.

‘Humanity failed to help my husband’

“Humanity failed to help my husband. I was covered in blood, pleading for help, but no one came,” she told NDTV.

“Humanity failed, but we did our bit by donating his eyes,” she added.

The tragedy has left the family shattered. Venkataramanan’s mother struggled to find words. “I have no words. I don’t know what to say. My son is gone,” she said.

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His mother-in-law questioned the system’s response to medical emergencies. “The government should understand a health emergency. My daughter is left with two children. Who will look after them?” she asked.

The incident has sparked fresh questions about emergency healthcare access, ambulance response, and public responsibility in India’s tech capital.