A 75-year-old man died after suffering a heart attack while attending a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Friday, police said.
The deceased was identified as Gopalakrishna Subbaiya Pillai, a resident of Dosti West County, B Wing, in neighbouring Thane. He had travelled to Shivaji Park to attend the demonstration seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
According to police, Pillai reached the protest venue at around 4.30 pm. About half an hour later, at around 5 pm, he complained of severe chest pain.
His friend and police personnel deployed at the venue came to his assistance and took him to Sushrusha Hospital at Shivaji Park. A doctor present at the protest reportedly provided preliminary treatment, while policemen also attempted to revive him with CPR.
Pillai's condition deteriorated while he was being treated at the hospital, and doctors declared him dead. Police said the cause of death was a heart attack.
Protest draws thousands despite police denial
The incident occurred as thousands of people gathered at Shivaji Park for the CJP's demonstration demanding Kumar's removal over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.
The protest began at around 4 pm and proceeded despite Mumbai Police denying permission for the gathering. Police had cited restrictions governing Shivaji Park, the absence of civic clearance and concerns relating to traffic and emergency access while refusing permission. Around 500 police personnel were deployed in the area, according to local reports.
Large numbers of protesters began arriving before the scheduled start of the demonstration. Many carried the national flag and placards as the gathering continued under strong sunshine.
The CJP had described the event as a 'Jail Bharo Andolan', with its founder Abhijeet Dipke calling on supporters to participate in the agitation over the electoral-roll revision and demand Kumar's resignation.
Celebrities and public figures attend
The Mumbai demonstration also drew several prominent public figures. Actors Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and Dia Mirza, musician Vishal Dadlani, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj and other personalities were among those reported to have attended or supported the protest.
The demonstration was part of a wider campaign against the Election Commission's handling of the SIR process. The CJP has demanded Kumar's resignation and raised concerns about electoral-roll changes and transparency in the functioning of the poll panel.
Police register accidental death report
Police have registered an accidental death report in connection with Pillai's death. His body was handed over to his family after they raised no objection, according to police cited by the Indian Express.
The death took place amid a large gathering at Shivaji Park, where the protest continued despite the absence of police permission and heavy security deployment.