Karnataka forms expert panel to probe heart attack deaths in Hassan

BENGALURU: In response to four heart attack deaths within 24 hours in Karnataka’s Hassan district, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday announced the formation of an expert committee led by Dr Ravindranath of Jayadeva Institute to investigate the cause and submit a report within 10 days.

The panel will be headed by Dr Ravindranath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research. The decision follows reports of 21 heart attack-related deaths in the district over the last 40 days.

“In the past month, the government has taken very seriously the matter of over twenty people succumbing to heart attacks in Hassan district alone. To identify the exact cause of these series of deaths and find remedial measures, a committee of experts has been formed under the leadership of Dr. Ravindranath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, and has been instructed to submit a study report within 10 days,” Siddaramaiah wrote in a post on X.

ಕಳೆದೊಂದು ತಿಂಗಳಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಹಾಸನ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯೊಂದರಲ್ಲೇ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತಕ್ಕೂ ಅಧಿಕ ಮಂದಿ ಹೃದಯಾಘಾತಕ್ಕೆ ಒಳಗಾಗಿ ಸಾವಿಗೀಡಾದ ವಿಚಾರವನ್ನು ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಗಂಭೀರವಾಗಿ ಪರಿಗಣಿಸಿದೆ. ಈ ಸರಣಿ ಸಾವುಗಳಿಗೆ ನಿಖರ ಕಾರಣವನ್ನು ಪತ್ತೆಹಚ್ಚಿ, ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಪರಿಹಾರ ಮಾರ್ಗೋಪಾಯಗಳನ್ನು ಕಂಡುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಜಯದೇವ ಹೃದ್ರೋಗ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ ಮತ್ತು ಸಂಶೋಧನಾ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯ…

— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 1, 2025

The Chief Minister also raised questions about a potential link to the COVID vaccine and criticised the Centre for allegedly rushing its approval and distribution.

“What are the reasons for the sudden deaths of young people and youth in the state? Could there be any side effects of the COVID vaccine? A comprehensive study was ordered in February itself for this committee to investigate. In this regard, the examination and analysis of heart patients are also in progress,” he wrote.

Siddaramaiah added that global studies have flagged a link between the vaccine and rising cardiac arrest cases.

“It cannot be ruled out that the hasty approval and distribution of the corona vaccine might be a reason for these deaths, as many global studies have recently pointed out that COVID vaccines are linked to the increasing cases of cardiac arrest. BJP leaders should introspect before criticising us on this matter,” he stated.

He also condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly politicising the deaths.

“The lives of innocent children and youth who should live long, and the concerns of their families, matter to us too. I condemn the actions of BJP leaders who are using such issues for their political gains,” the post read.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to public health, Siddaramaiah pointed to the launch of schemes like Hrudaya Jyoti and Gruha Arogya.

“We are fully committed to identifying the real reasons behind the sudden series of deaths occurring in the state, including Hassan district, and preventing them. With this objective, schemes like Hrudaya Jyoti and Gruha Arogya have already been implemented, and public health is being closely monitored,” he said.

The Dr Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti Yojana provides emergency treatment for cardiac cases and is named after the late actor who died of a heart attack at 46.

The Gruha Arogya scheme offers free door-to-door screening for more than 14 non-communicable diseases, aiming to strengthen preventive healthcare across the state. (ANI)