Goa Police have launched an investigation into the sudden death of veteran Indian actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar after he was found unconscious at his residence and taken to hospital, where doctors were unable to save him. Panaji Police have registered a case of unnatural death to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The case has been filed under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which provides for police inquiries into deaths occurring under circumstances that warrant investigation. Authorities are seeking to establish what happened in the hours before the actor was found unconscious. Police have not yet released a detailed account of their findings.
According to police records, Patekar was discovered unconscious at his home in Ocean Park, Dona Paula, in Goa. He was subsequently taken to the emergency department of Manipal Hospital in Bambolim. Reports indicate that he had died before reaching the hospital.
Police Sub-Inspector Nitin Naik has been assigned to investigate the case. Officials have so far withheld further details, leaving questions about the actor’s final hours unanswered.
Actor Reportedly Sent Message to Friend
Dr Shekhar Salgar, head of an oncology department, has provided an account of the events preceding Patekar’s death. According to the doctor, the actor sent a message to a friend at around 2.30 am, informing him that he was feeling unwell.
The friend did not see the message immediately because it arrived during the night. After noticing it later, he telephoned Patekar and travelled to the actor’s residence, arriving at around 4 am.
By then, Patekar was reportedly sweating and displaying other symptoms of illness. Recognising that his condition was serious, those present began arranging medical assistance.
However, the actor’s condition continued to deteriorate, and he gradually lost consciousness. A domestic worker was sent to the hospital to arrange an ambulance, while an emergency medical team was dispatched from the hospital to his home.
The interval between the actor’s initial message and the arrival of medical assistance is a significant part of the reported timeline. Investigators will need to establish the sequence of events and examine the available information to understand the circumstances in which his condition worsened.
Doctors Make Prolonged Attempts to Revive Him
According to Dr Salgar, Patekar was unconscious by the time the medical team reached his residence. Doctors administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in an attempt to revive him, but he did not respond.
The actor was taken to Manipal Hospital in Bambolim at approximately 4.20 am. Once there, doctors continued resuscitation efforts, administering cardiac massage and CPR for around 45 minutes.
Despite these efforts, the medical team was unable to revive him. Patekar was pronounced dead at approximately 5.20 am, according to the account provided by the doctor.
The reported timeline indicates that the actor first contacted his friend at around 2.30 am, that the friend reached the residence at approximately 4 am, and that Patekar arrived at hospital around 20 minutes later. Medical staff continued trying to save him after his arrival, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
The precise medical cause of death has not been established in the information released so far. No detailed findings have been made public by the police.
Investigation Continues Into the Circumstances
The registration of an unnatural-death case allows police to investigate the circumstances surrounding a death and determine whether further action is necessary. Such a case does not, in itself, establish that a crime has occurred.
In Patekar’s case, the investigation is expected to focus on the events preceding his loss of consciousness, the circumstances in which he was found at home and the efforts made to obtain emergency medical care. Information from the friend who visited him and the medical personnel involved may help clarify the sequence of events.
The police have yet to publish a comprehensive account of the incident or announce a definitive conclusion about the cause of death. Until further findings are available, any explanation of what happened would remain speculative.
Sub-Inspector Nitin Naik is overseeing the investigation in Panaji. Authorities have not provided a timeline for its completion, and the circumstances surrounding Patekar’s final hours remain under examination.
