A 19-year-old youth collapsed and died of cardiac arrest while training for a marathon early Wednesday morning in Nainital, Uttarakhand. The victim, identified as Bhupendra Deoli, was running along Bhowali Road around 5:30 am when he suddenly fell unconscious. Despite his friend’s desperate efforts to get him medical help, Bhupendra was declared dead at the hospital.

Runner Collapses During Training

Bhupendra, an MCA student at Pal College in Haldwani, had a passion for long-distance running. According to his friend Vivek, who was running alongside him, the incident occurred near Kailakhan. As Bhupendra picked up speed, he suddenly collapsed face-first on the ground.

“I immediately took him in a local bus to Tallital and arranged a car to get him to BD Pandey Hospital in Mallital,” Vivek said. “But it was too late.”

Delay in Medical Help Proved Fatal

Doctors at the hospital confirmed that Bhupendra had died by the time he arrived. Initial findings suggest that the delay in receiving immediate medical attention may have led to his death. The cause was identified as cardiac arrest, a condition that requires instant CPR or defibrillation.

Body Handed Over to Grieving Family

Tallital SHO Ramesh Bora confirmed that a postmortem was conducted and the body has been handed over to the family. The tragic news has left Bhupendra’s loved ones devastated.

Understanding Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack

Doctors emphasized that cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack.

• A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked, often causing chest pain and shortness of breath.

• Cardiac arrest is far more sudden — the heart stops beating completely, the person becomes unconscious, and breathing halts almost immediately. Without instant CPR, survival is rare.