Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Maratha quota movement leader Manoj Jarange with others leaves for Mumbai to launch a fresh hunger strike, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. Jarange has been demanding that all Marathas be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian caste included in the OBC category, which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education. (PTI Photo)(PTI08_27_2025_000419B)
Mumbai: A 45-year-old Maratha quota protester suffered a heart attack and fell unconscious at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on Sunday, officials said.
Thanks to quick CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) given by a radiation oncologist, the life of the protester was saved, and he was admitted to JJ Hospital.
The incident occurred when the demonstrator, who is from Pune, was staging a protest in Azad Maidan, the venue of a hunger strike by Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange.
After being informed about the medical emergency, Dr Dilip Nikam, a radiation oncologist at Bombay Hospital, checked the man’s pulse, which was recorded as negative.
Dr Nikam, with 20 years of experience, started giving CPR to the protester. After several attempts, the patient was revived and rushed to the state-run JJ Hospital, an official said.
The patient regained consciousness and is responding to treatment, he said.
A video of Dr Nikam’s efforts was circulated on social media, earning him kudos from demonstrators and netizens.
Earlier, a protester, identified as Vijaykumar Chandrakant Ghogare, who hailed from Takalgaon in Latur district, died of chest pains on Saturday in Mumbai.
Organisers in Azad Maidan have set up a camp of experienced doctors, the official said.
This post was last modified on September 1, 2025 12:13 am