Over the past week, six individuals, including a woman and a Class 12 student, have suffered fatal heart attacks while participating in 'garba' dance events as part of the Navratri celebrations in Gujarat. In addition to these six deaths directly related to garba events, 22 others have also lost their lives to heart attacks in the state during this period. Gujarat's Health Minister, Rushikesh Patel, held a meeting with leading heart specialists and doctors from the U N Mehta Institute of Cardiology & Research Centre to address the situation and initiate research to identify the root causes of these sudden deaths.
The nine-day Navratri festival began on October 15, and these tragic events have raised concerns about the health and safety of participants. Uttar Pradesh Governor and former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has also expressed her apprehension over this issue, calling for an investigation to determine the reasons behind the surge in heart attacks in the state.
A common belief that these deaths are linked to COVID-19 has been ruled out based on research by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The deaths due to heart attacks while performing garba is a matter of grave concern, especially since they involve a range of age groups, including youngsters.
Among the victims was Veer Shah, a Class 12 student, who collapsed from a heart attack while participating in garba. Similarly, others, including Ravi Panchal, Shankar Rana, Mrunal Shukla, Raju Aala, and Kanchan Saxena, experienced fatal heart attacks during garba events across different districts.
In response to these alarming incidents, the '108' ambulance service recorded nearly 750 calls related to cardiac emergencies during the Navratri festival. While it was made mandatory for garba event organizers to deploy an ambulance and a medical team to ensure participants' immediate aid, these incidents have raised questions about the health and safety precautions during such festive events.
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