A test of humanity in 60 seconds: How Bengaluru hospitals turned away a dying man | Bengaluru News

BENGALURU: In the early hours of Saturday, a young family’s life shattered on a quiet Bengaluru road — a tragedy made more painful by missed chances, delayed care and the silence of passing vehicles that refused to stop.Venkataramana, a 34-year-old mechanic from Balaji Nagar in Ittamadu, Banashankari III Stage, woke up at 3.30am complaining of severe chest pain. His wife, Roopa K, immediately sprang into action. With no time to waste, she accompanied him on their scooter to a private hospital in Kathriguppe, hoping for urgent help. But help did not come.At the hospital, Roopa said they were turned away after being told that no doctor was available. At another private hospital nearby, an ECG confirmed her worst fear: Venkataramana was suffering a heart attack. Yet, according to Roopa, even there, no emergency treatment was initiated and no ambulance was arranged. She was simply advised to take her husband to Jayadeva Hospital. With fear tightening its grip and no support in sight, they did the only thing they could think of. They got back onto the scooter and rode towards the hospital.

They never made it. Around 4.21am, near Kadirenahalli bridge, Venkataramana clutched his chest again. The scooter wobbled and the couple fell onto the road. Injured and shaken, Roopa picked herself up and rushed to her husband, who was struggling to breathe. What followed was perhaps the cruellest moment of the night.Roopa waved frantically at passing two-wheelers and cars, begging strangers to stop and help take her husband to the hospital. One vehicle after another passed by. No one stopped to help. Venkataramana lay on the road, gasping for breath, as precious minutes slipped away.A pedestrian eventually paused and stayed with them. Soon, Venkataramana’s sister arrived at the spot and attempted to stop vehicles as well. Nearly seven minutes later, a car finally halted. By then, Venkataramana had lost consciousness. His sister tried performing CPR before they rushed him to hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. The entire ordeal — Roopa’s desperate pleas, her husband collapsing on the road, and the apathy of passersby — was later captured by a CCTV camera nearby. Banashankari traffic police have registered a case and handed over the body to the family after postmortem. Venkataramana is survived by his mother, wife, and two children. He worked in his sister’s automobile shop. His sister said they have not lodged complaint against the hospital as they have already lost their brother.‘He wanted to live. That’s why he kept riding despite pain’Roopa told the media that action must be taken against the hospitals, which she alleged, failed to provide emergency care or arrange an ambulance. She claimed that the hospital staff may have neglected her husband because of their financial condition.Expressing anguish over the public response, Roopa said the incident highlighted a growing lack of compassion. “If someone had helped us in time, my husband might have survived,” she said through tears. “He wanted to live. That is why he kept riding despite the pain.”Even in the depths of her grief, Roopa chose compassion over bitterness. She made the humane decision to donate Venkataramana’s eyes, allowing his death to bring hope to others. “No one should go through what we did,” Roopa said. “Please stop and help when someone is in distress. A few minutes can mean the difference between life and death.”