Nana Patekar’s family reaches Goa hospital, three-doctor team to conduct post-mortem

The family of veteran actor Nana Patekar, including his wife Neelakanti Patekar and son Malhar Patekar, arrived at the Goa Medical College and Hospital on Thursday ahead of his post-mortem, which will be conducted by a three-member team of doctors.

Patekar, 75, died on Thursday morning after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. The veteran actor’s death has prompted an outpouring of grief from the film industry and political circles across Maharashtra and Goa. His mortal remains will be taken to Pune for the last rites later this evening.

Earlier in the day, former Union minister Sharad Pawar visited the mortuary to pay his last respects.

The Goa Medical College constituted a team of three doctors -- associate professor at the Department of Medicine Kedar Narvekar, assistant professor at the Department of Forensic Medicine Pannag S Kumar, and lecturer at the Department of Pathology Peter Rodrigues -- to conduct the post-mortem.

A medico-legal case was registered since Patekar was ‘brought dead’ to the hospital despite efforts to revive him.

“We have tried our best to give him cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but he was declared dead at 5:20 and we had to make it a medico-legal case since it was a case of being ‘brought dead’ and we do not know the cause of death. The police came and the body is now shifted to Goa Medical College for the post-mortem. Once the post-mortem is done, the body will be given to their relatives,” Shekhar Salkar of Goa’s Manipal Hospital said.

“According to what we know, he messaged his friend that he was not feeling well at around 2:30 am, that he was uncomfortable with pain on his left side. As it was night, I think his friend could not get the message at that time. He reached his house at around 4am by which time he was gasping and sweating. He sent his caretaker here, took the ambulance and went there and by the time they went there, he was unresponsive, they started CPR in the house. Shifted him while on CPR to the hospital, but by that time it was too late and he was declared dead at 5:20,” Salkar added.

Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant condoled his death. “Shocked and deeply saddened to learn about the demise of veteran actor Shri @nanagpatekar Ji. With his remarkable journey across theatre, Hindi and Marathi cinema, his powerful performances and distinctive artistry left an indelible mark on Indian cinema. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, admirers and the entire film fraternity. May his soul attain Sadgati. Om Shanti,” Sawant said via a post on X.