Gopal Rao, septagenerian swimmer from Bengaluru, capital city of Karnataka died of a heart attack while participating in a swimming expedition from Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka to the Dhanushkodi islet in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday.
Rao was part of a group of swimmers who held a relay swimming event, suffered a heart attack during the event.
Swimmers had began a relay swimming event from Sri Lanka to India across the Palk Strait.
According to The Hindi report, departing from Rameswaram via boat on April 22, the swimmers commenced their journey from Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka towards Dhanushkodi at 12:10 a.m. on April 23.
Gopal Rao, believed to be the third swimmer in the lineup, began experiencing discomfort and complained of chest pains around 3 a.m.
He was promptly assisted onto the accompanying boat. Unfortunately, despite medical attention, he was declared deceased by the attending doctor.
In a gesture of respect, all other swimmers canceled the relay event and returned to Dhanushkodi islet by boat.
The body of the deseased has been set for post-mortem examination to a goverment hospital. The local police have registered a case.
As per report, swimmer had taken all the required permissions from authorites from both the countries -India and Sri Lanka
