In an incident amid the Navratri celebrations on the sixth day, a 17-year-old boy died after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest while playing Garba in Gujarat’s Kapadvanj Kheda district, as reported by the news agency ANI. The deceased was identified as Veer Shah, who was playing Garba in Kapadvanj.
Sharing details of the incident with ANI, Dr. Aayush Patel, MD Medicine, said, "A 17-year-old boy, Veer Shah, was playing Garba at the Garba ground in Kapadvanj when he complained of dizziness and became unresponsive. A team of volunteers at the scene immediately attended on him and performed a cardio-respiratory resuscitation. We monitored his vitals but found no pulse. There was no response and signs of respiration. He was given three cycles of Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We shifted him to a hospital by ambulance. However, he was declared dead at the hospital."
Following the incident, a pall of gloom descended on his native village as word of the 17-year-old's death reached locals. Veer's father, Ripal Shah, was unaware of the incident, as he and his wife were immersed in Navratri celebrations at a second Garba ground in Kapadwanj when the incident occurred. They were subsequently informed about their son’s death.
After receiving the news of their son’s demise, the parents were in a state of shock, ANI reported citing sources. Ripal Shah asked revellers to take caution, saying, "Be careful playing Garba, do not continue playing it without rest. I lost my child today and wish no such incident happens to anyone else," as quoted by ANI.
At the ground where Veer Shah died, the organisers stood silent for two minutes as a mark of tribute to the boy. The Garba, which was being held at the ground, was postponed following his demise. In a show of solidarity, all the Garba organisers in Kapadvanj city and surrounding areas also put all scheduled celebratory events on hold for a day.