Aligarh: Teenager dies of heart attack during sports practice, fifth such case this month

A 14-year-old boy from Sirauli village in Aligarh died after suffering a heart attack while practicing for a school sports competition on Friday. Mohit Chaudhary, a Class 8 student, had completed two rounds of running with his friends before collapsing. His friends immediately informed his family, who rushed him to a nearby hospital. Unfortunately, doctors declared him dead upon arrival, a TOI report stated.

Mohit’s neighbor, Virendra Singh, shared that the boy had been passionate about running and was preparing diligently for the competition scheduled for December 7. “The boy’s father had died in a road accident in August. Mohit and his mother were living with relatives. He was passionate about running and was eagerly preparing for the competition, hoping to make his mother proud. We often saw him practicing rigorously, determined to secure first place at the competition,” Singh said.

This tragic incident follows another heart attack death in the region. On Saturday night, an 8-year-old girl named Diksha Kumari from Lodhi Nagar passed away after experiencing severe chest pain at home. Her family said that Diksha had been practicing for her school’s annual function, set for Sunday. “Diksha was excited about her dance performance at the annual function. She would often tell neighbors, ‘Please come to watch my performance,’” her uncle, Virendra Rajput, said. He added that Diksha was healthy and had no prior health issues.


These deaths are part of a concerning trend in the Aligarh region. In the past month, at least five people have died of sudden heart attacks, including a 20-year-old woman, Mamata Kumari, who died while training for a police recruitment exam, and Syed Barkat Haider, 29, the son of former Aligarh Muslim University Vice-Chancellor SM Afzal.

Experts are stressing the importance of monitoring heart health, especially among young individuals. Prashant Gupta, principal of SN Medical College in Agra, said, “Although heart diseases in children are rare, they can happen. Warning signs include unexplained fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, fainting, rapid heartbeat, poor circulation and difficulty keeping up with peers. Regular medical check-ups are vital for early detection and intervention, which can help prevent sudden cardiac deaths.”