Kickboxer who was injured while performing inside ring passes away

A 23-year-old kickboxer who allegedly sustained injury and collapsed while performing in the ring on July 10 succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment in a private hospital in the early hours on Wednesday.

The deceased has been identified as Nikhil S, 23, a resident of Hosakeri, KR Mohalla in Mysuru. Nikhil had taken part in the state level K1 kickboxing championship organised by the K1 Kickboxing Association Karnataka. The championship was held in Rapid Fitness located on the fifth floor of a commercial building in RR Layout in Jnanajyothi Nagar near Kengeri in West Bengaluru.

Based on the complaint filed by Nikhil's father Suresh P, 62, the Jnanabarathinagar police have registered a case of causing death by negligence against the organisers Navin Ravishankar and K1 Kickboxing Association.

Laxman B Nimbargi, deputy commissioner of police (West) said, "the case has been registered against the organisers, we are going to verify whether they had taken permission to conduct the championship, the safety measures taken during the event and further necessary action will be taken".

According to Suresh, the championship was organised from July 9. Nikhil, who was getting trained in the Academy Of Martial Science in Krishnamurthy Puram in Mysuru, had been to the championship along with few others from the academy. He left home in the early hours on July 9 and took part in the game.

When he was performing in the ring around 6 pm on July 10, Nikhil collapsed in the ring after his punched him in the face. As he was unconscious the organisers rushed him to a private hospital in Nagarabhavi. The organisers called Nikhil's mother and informed him about the incident. Suresh along with Nikhil's coach Vikram came to the hospital to find Nikhil was put on a ventilator in the ICU.

The doctors informed him that Nikhil had sustained injuries while performing in the ring. Suresh told police that his son died only because of the sheer negligence of the organisers and K1 Indian head coach Navin Ravishankar.

Nikhil was shifted to another private hospital in Yeshwanthpur where he succumbed to injuries around 12.30 am on Wednesday.

Suresh said his son went into a coma after he sustained the injury. He alleged that when he checked with Ravishankar, he said he didn't have complete details, but Nikhil collapsed in the ring and sustained a head injury. He was taken to the hospital in a private SUV. Suresh further alleged that the organisers informed him that the sponge mat put on the ring's floor was very thin.

Suresh further alleged that there were no safety measures taken by the organisers like having an ambulance standby, no paramedical assistance, and no oxygen. He also alleged that organising the matches on the fifth floor is inappropriate as it will delay in rushing players to hospital in case of emergency. The negligence and lack of first aid treatment led to Nikhil's death, Suresh added.

Suresh, a retired person, is a Karate teacher. Suresh told media persons that "having an experience in teaching karate, I can clearly say that my son was killed by the organisers".

Nikhil had completed ITI course and was an electrician. He was practicing martial arts for the last two years.