Bengaluru: Azim Premji University student dies while dancing; heart attack suspected

A 26-year-old student collapsed while practising dance on the premises of Azim Premji University in Bengaluru.

Though he was rushed to a private hospital, doctors declared him dead upon arrival on Friday afternoon.

The deceased has been identified as Abhijit Baliram Shinde, a student of first-year MA Development. He was from Nashik in Maharashtra.

Sarjapur police said that Shinde was practising dance for the university’s annual fest, ‘UnMukt 2023’, along with a few other students, on college premises on Friday afternoon. He collapsed all of a sudden at around 12.30 pm.

The medical staff in the college gave him first aid, but on learning that he was not responding they rushed him to a nearby private hospital, where the doctors declared him dead upon arrival.

According to police, Shinde was part of the strike in the college two days before his death.

The students, for over a fortnight, have been protesting the shuttle fee of Rs 8,500 imposed by the college.

The doctors, who conducted the post mortem, suspected that Shinde died due to cardiac arrest. However, they are awaiting the official report to ascertain the exact cause of death.

A case of unnatural death was registered on Saturday, based on the complaint filed by Akash Baliram Shinde, the elder brother of Abhijit.

In a statement issued by Azim Premji University, the spokesperson said, “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the unfortunate demise of a student at the University campus yesterday.

The student, while participating in the opening event of the annual student festival, collapsed and, despite immediate medical help, could not be saved.

Our hearts go out to his family and friends who knew and loved him. We are doing everything possible to support his immediate family at this time of grief.”