Odisha Footballer collapses on pitch - 5 tragic on-field deaths in Indian football

#4 D Venkatesh- 2011 BDFA 'A' Division League, Bangalore Mars vs. South Western Railway

D Venkatesh came on as a substitute but couldn't survive until the final whistle

At the tender age of 23, D Venkatesh breathed his last at the Bangalore Football Stadium in 2011 while playing for Bangalore Mars against South Western Railway in the BDFA 'A' Division League.

The youngster came on the pitch with only five minutes left to play but soon fell down unconscious. The referees called for the stretcher, which arrived soon but no ambulance in the pitch meant he had to be taken to the nearby hospital via an autorickshaw. He was pronounced dead on arrival.

The doctor opined that a cardiac arrest led to his death. However, his father chimed in that he was fine while leaving his home. The fans vented their frustration on the upcoming Super Division match by hurling chairs and other projectiles on to the ground after hearing the news of a dead footballer due to sheer medical negligence. That match had to abandoned midway.