Guj lockdown: Man rushed to hospital in handcart after heart

Amid a lockdown for the novel coronavirus outbreak, a 50-year-old man who suffered a heart attack in Patan in Gujarat was on Friday rushed to a hospital in a handcart by passersby, but was declared dead on arrival, officials said.

A video showing four men pushing a handcart with an unconscious man on it to reach a hospital in Siddhpur town here quickly went viral on social media.

"However, Jayantibhai Patel was declared brought dead by doctors of Siddhpur civil hospital," Chief District Health Officer Alpesh Salvi said.

People who saw Patel collapse in Biliya village called 108 ambulance service but were told by the operator that the vehicle would take 10 minutes to reach the spot as it was attending another emergency.

"Though the 108 operator asked them to wait while he arranged for another ambulance, the bystanders put Patel on a handcart, since no other vehicles were available due to the lockdown, sensing he may die if they didn't act fast. It is a 3-kilometre distance from the spot to the hospital," he said.

He said family members took possession of the body and have not filed any complaint in connection with the death.

"Doctors concluded that Patel died of heart attack. He may have died as soon as he fell unconscious. His family has said he was suffering from heart ailments," he added.

Siddhpur police said no complaint has been filed with them.