Indian comedian Raju Srivastav on ventilator following heart attack

Indian comedian-actor Raju Srivastav is "critical and on a ventilator" in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, hospital sources confirmed to PTI on Thursday. Following a heart attack on Wednesday, the 58-year-old underwent angioplasty.

Srivastava fell unconscious while he was working out on a treadmill and was immediately rushed to AIIMS by his trainer at around 10:45 am. "He was doing his routine exercise and while he was on the treadmill, he suddenly fell down. He suffered a heart attack and was immediately taken to the AIIMS hospital," Srivastava's cousin Ashok Srivastava told PTI News. After two rounds of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) failed to resuscitate the comic, he had to be shifted to the ICU. His wife, Shikha Srivastava, also reached Delhi following the hospitalisation.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached out to the director of AIIMS and has also spoken to Shikha to inquire about her husband’s health. Moreover, fellow comedian and colleague Sunil Pal shared in an Instagram post that the Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, has also reached out to send his prayers and support in these difficult times for Srivastav’s family and friends. Pal has also urged fans to continue praying for the comic as a large team of doctors is struggling to help him regain consciousness.