UP: BSc student collapsed while playing cricket in Bareilly; cardiac arrest suspected

March 21, 2026

Shaqib, a B.Sc. student, died suddenly on Friday while playing cricket in the Hafizganj area of ​​Bareilly. His family members suspect that the death was caused by a cardiac arrest. Shaqib’s untimely demise, occurring just before Eid, has plunged his family into deep mourning. People flocked to his home to offer their condolences.

Shaqib, the 22-year-old son of Rahis Ahmed—a resident of Harharpur Matkali village—was pursuing his B.Sc. studies while living in Delhi. He had returned home seven days prior to celebrate Eid. Family members stated that at 12:00 PM, he was playing cricket with his friends on a ground near the village Eidgah.

Suddenly, he collapsed to the ground and began gasping for breath. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. Shaqib was the third among four brothers. He was exceptionally bright in his studies and aspired to become a doctor.

According to Dr. A.M. Agarwal, a Chest Physician at the District Hospital, a death occurring during outdoor sports is typically not a heart attack (myocardial infarction) but rather a sudden cardiac arrest.

Apart from pre-existing medical conditions, there can be other underlying causes for such incidents. Generally, symptoms such as dizziness, chest pain or tightness, shortness of breath, or fainting spells experienced while playing should not be ignored. In such situations, an imbalance in electrolytes can disrupt the heart’s rhythm, leading to irregular heartbeats.