Expert Committee submits report on multiple heart attack deaths in Hassan

Bengaluru: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has allayed fears over heart attack fears that have heightened, especially after a spree of deaths caused due to heart attack was reported in Hassan and other districts in the State recently.

Following a report submitted by an Expert Committee headed by Dr. K.S. Ravindranath, Acting Director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research (Jayadeva Hospital), Bengaluru, the Minister addressed media persons to share the findings of the report at Jayadeva Hospital yesterday.

He said, following the increase in incidents of sudden deaths due to heart attack among youths in Hassan, there was a widespread fear in public, with media reports too expressing apprehension over the surge in the number of deaths.

‘No need for panic’

The Government had ordered a probe to ascertain the exact reasons behind these deaths, which has now ruled out any reasons for unnecessary panic. In May-June 2025, a total of 24 deaths due to heart attacks were reported in Hassan, and the Committee had probed into the nature of cardiac ailments in the district, he said.

Releasing the report, Minister Rao said, among the 24 deceased persons, 14 were aged below 45 years and 10 were aged above 45 years. Four deaths were triggered due to prolonged ailments related to the kidney, road accident injuries, colon infection and electric shock. 

Only 10 confirmed cardiac cases

Of the remaining 20 deaths, 10 are confirmed cases of cardiac ailments. Three people had undergone bypass surgery, and after performing an angioplasty procedure, one among them had been suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy (heart failure), he stated.

While seven heart-related deaths are confirmed in the autopsy report, three others were confirmed through ECG tests. The remaining 10 deaths can be attributed to possible heart-related ailments, the Minister noted.

Among the deceased persons, 75 percent were severely vulnerable to cardiac-related ailments due to health conditions like diabetes, obesity, alcohol, smoking and blood pressure, added Rao.

“It is a matter of great concern that those aged 19, 21, 23, 32, 37, 38 and 43 met their untimely end, which will not be ignored. Six of the deceased persons were autorickshaw and cab drivers. They were not eating food on time, leading to somnipathy (sleep disorder) and stressful working conditions, according to the findings mentioned in the report,” he said.

Lack of accurate data

In most cases, neither the deceased had any history of undergoing treatment at any hospitals before their death, nor a post-mortem was conducted in the cases of declaration of death at hospitals.

The lack of accurate data related to deaths, non-availability of clinical investigations (ECG and Cardiac Enzyme Test) and non-cooperation of the family members of the deceased were the impediments in finding out accurate reasons for deaths, he asserted.

Announcing precautionary measures, the Health Minister said, specific groups like that of school and college students, teachers, and gym trainers shall be imparted training in CPR and the Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti programme will be extended to all Primary Health Centres (PHC) and Community Health Centres (CHC) across Karnataka.