Ashok Gehlot raises alarm over sudden cardiac deaths, seeks govt-backed study

Ashok Gehlot has called for the formation of a high-level scientific committee to investigate a reported rise in cardiac arrests and sudden deaths among young people and children in Rajasthan.

The former Rajasthan chief minister said concerns raised in the state Assembly by Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully and other legislators pointed to an alarming trend that warranted urgent and impartial examination.

Gehlot said the sudden deaths of apparently healthy young individuals — including medical professionals — had created anxiety and suspicion within society. He stressed that the government must respond through credible scientific inquiry rather than dismissing the matter as routine.

Referring to international debates over rare side effects such as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) associated with the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine Covishield, Gehlot noted that while a report by the Indian Council of Medical Research in July 2025 did not establish a direct link, global research into the long-term cardiovascular effects of Covid-19 and vaccines was still ongoing. He said it was the responsibility of both the state and central governments to address public doubts with evidence-based findings.

Gehlot also recalled that during his tenure, a post-Covid rehabilitation centre had been announced at the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) in the 2023 state budget to support research into post-Covid complications. He expressed disappointment that the current administration had yet to operationalise the facility.

“The government cannot treat this as a normal situation,” he said, adding that people had the right to know the underlying causes of such deaths so that preventive measures could be taken in the future.

In the Assembly on Wednesday, Jully claimed that reports suggested an increase in deaths following vaccination and alleged that even children had collapsed during examinations. While the government maintained that such incidents were within normal parameters, he insisted that the health minister provide a detailed explanation and pressed for a scientific investigation.

Jully also criticised the government’s functioning, accusing it of evading accountability and failing to implement meaningful reforms during its tenure.

With IANS input