Fitness at what cost? Cardiac emergencies, fatal mishaps put gym safety in spotlight

With the increase in the popularity of gymnasiums and fitness regimes in India, there have been a number of unfortunate incidents reported, which range from cardiac arrests at the gym to accidents and fights within fitness centers. There have been many instances where people have died due to heart attacks and accidents while working out in the gym.One of the most widely discussed cases was the death of comedian and actor Raju Srivastava in September 2022.Srivastava, who had made a mark as a stand-up comic and later entered politics, suffered a heart attack on August 10 while working out at a hotel gym in Delhi. He was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where he underwent angioplasty. Despite remaining under treatment for more than 40 days, he never regained consciousness."I got a call in the morning saying he is no more. It is really unfortunate news. He had been waging a struggle for life in hospital for over 40 days," his brother Dipoo Srivastava.The 58-year-old comedian, who had joined the BJP in 2014 after a stint with the Samajwadi Party, was among the country's most recognised stand-up comedians. He had also appeared in films such as "Maine Pyar Kiya" and "Baazigar". At the time of his death, he was serving as chairperson of the Film Development Council Uttar Pradesh.Puneeth Rajkumar's sudden passingLess than a year before Srivastava's death, Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar died after suffering a heart attack in October 2021.The actor was rushed to a hospital in Bengaluru after complaining of chest pain.A statement from the hospital said Puneeth Rajkumar "was brought to the emergency department, Vikram Hospital with history of chest pain at 11:40 am, he was non-responsive and was in Cardiac Asystole and Advanced cardiac resuscitation has been initiated."The 46-year-old actor, popularly known as 'Appu', was the son of legendary Kannada actor Rajkumar and Parvathamma. A successful actor, television presenter and producer, Puneeth had started his career as a child artist before making his debut as a lead actor in the 2002 film "Appu".Over the years, he delivered several successful films including "Abhi", "Maurya", "Ajay" and "Arasu". He was also a popular television host and had hosted the Kannada version of "Kaun Banega Crorepati", titled "Kannadada Kotyadhipati", besides appearing on the reality show "Family Power".His death triggered an outpouring of grief across Karnataka and the film industry.Television actor Siddhaanth Vir Surryavanshi collapsed during workoutIn November 2022, another sudden death linked to exercise raised concerns among health experts.Television actor Siddhaanth Vir Surryavanshi, 46, collapsed while working out at a gym in Mumbai.He was rushed to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital in Andheri, where doctors attempted to revive him for around 40 minutes but could not save him.The incident came only weeks after the death of Raju Srivastava and renewed discussions around fitness-related cardiac emergencies.Cardiologist Dr Ganesh Kumar said even people who exercise regularly should be cautious."Those who want to take up gymming should first undergo a cardiac evaluation," he said.According to the doctor, even small plaque deposits in blood vessels that may otherwise appear harmless can rupture during sudden physical exertion such as running, lifting weights or intense gym workouts."It is not advisable for people to undertake intense activity while eating next to nothing or sleeping only for three hours," Dr Kumar said.Surryavanshi was known for television shows including "Kkusum", "Krishna Arjun" and "Kasautii Zindagii Kay". He is survived by his wife and two children.Following his death, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri expressed concern over extreme fitness trends."This so tragic & sad. The mad rush to build an aggressive body, without any medical advice is so dangerous. Hyper-Gymming is a relatively new phenomenon that got mad impetus due to Instagram. It needs to be regulated for sure. Society needs to rethink. Oh, Siddhanth...."Mumbai Police registered an accidental death report in the matter.Engineer dies of electrocution on gym treadmillWhile several gym-related deaths have been linked to cardiac issues, some incidents have resulted from alleged negligence.In July 2023, 24-year-old engineer Saksham Pruthi died after allegedly receiving an electric shock from a treadmill at a gym in Delhi.According to police, Saksham, a resident of Rohini Sector-19, was brought to hospital in an unconscious state after being electrocuted while using a treadmill.His mother later alleged negligence on the part of the gym management."I wouldn't have allowed my son to go to the gym had I known he won't come back," she said."He went to the gym after a gap of one week and told me that he will change it soon," the mother said.Holding the gym responsible, she added, "My son had no fault. He was innocent and I want justice for him. I want the authorities to seal the gym and punish the accused."According to police, another gym member, Keshav, also received an electric shock while attempting to help Saksham.Keshav told PTI that around 7.15 am Saksham sat between two treadmills to take rest but suddenly fell down. When Keshav tried to lift him, he too suffered an electric shock. He was able to switch off the power supply before other gym members rushed to assist.While Keshav survived, Saksham did not respond despite attempts at CPR and was declared dead later.Police arrested gym owner Anubhav Duggal and registered a case under IPC sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 304A (causing death by negligence).Saksham is survived by his parents and a sister.Fatal fight over loud music at Delhi gymGyms have also witnessed incidents unrelated to exercise or health.In March 2022, a dispute over loud music inside a gym in Delhi's Paharganj area turned deadly.A fight broke out between two groups at Fitness Hub Gym in Chuna Mandi, resulting in the death of 45-year-old businessman Manoj Manchanda.According to police, the Paharganj Police Station received information from Lady Hardinge Hospital about multiple people injured in a violent altercation.Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shweta Chahan said Manoj suffered serious injuries and died during treatment.Police said Mayank Manchanda had allegedly informed his father Manoj that a group consisting of Saurav Sharma, Joginder Sharma, Manjeet Sharma and Rahul Sharma was fighting with him inside the gym.When Manoj and his son reached the spot, the confrontation escalated into a violent scuffle. Several people from both groups sustained injuries.A case was registered on charges of murder, attempt to murder and common intention. Police later apprehended two accused.Investigators also found that the two groups had previously been involved in a case of affray registered the previous year.Why can exercise trigger a heart attack?Medical experts emphasise that exercise itself is not dangerous. However, intense physical activity can expose previously undiagnosed heart conditions.Dr Haresh G Mehta, senior cardiologist with SL Raheja Hospital, Mumbai, said the increasing number of heart attacks among younger individuals is linked to lifestyle factors and unsupervised fitness routines, according to TOI."One of the major reasons for this is a bad lifestyle, coupled with unsupervised exercise regimens," he said."One might appear healthy but they need not be healthy. In today's fast-paced life, there has been a rise in people being sleep deprived, binge drinking, smoking, addicted to certain drugs, along with having a family history of heart ailments. They may have an underlying problem that goes unnoticed due to a lack of awareness of the need for a health check-up before initiating an exercise schedule."Dr Rishi Gupta, chairman, cardiac sciences, Accord Superspeciality Hospital, Faridabad, said running or intense exercise could trigger a heart attack in people already suffering from heart disease, particularly those who are asymptomatic."People in their 40s, and those who are obese or diabetic, should undergo a proper cardiac check-up before stepping on the treadmill," he said."When they are on it, they should be careful about unusual shortness of breath or chest heaviness. If they are experiencing such symptoms, they should stop immediately and consult a cardiologist right away. Ideally, any person above 40 should get a proper cardiac check-up and then take a treadmill test."Growing focus on gym safetyThe deaths of celebrities such as Raju Srivastava, Puneeth Rajkumar and Siddhaanth Vir Surryavanshi, along with incidents involving electrocution and violence inside fitness centres, have intensified calls for stricter safety protocols and greater awareness among gym-goers.Experts say regular health assessments, adequate sleep, proper nutrition, supervised training and adherence to safety standards can help reduce risks associated with fitness activities, while gym operators must ensure that equipment and facilities are properly maintained to prevent avoidable tragedies.