Goa Congress leader Ketan Bhatikar, who was the party’s candidate during the recently cancelled Ponda assembly bypoll, died on Thursday night due to a suspected snakebite, police said on Friday.
Bhatikar, 42, was travelling along with friends and the incident took place during a stop that his car made during the journey while travelling through the Western Ghats via the route that crosses in the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.
He was rushed to the primary health centre at Dharbandora via an ambulance, at around 3:30am by which time doctors found him unresponsive and after revival efforts failed, he was declared dead at 3:45am.
Doctors have said that the cause of death will be confirmed after the conduct of a post mortem.
Sushant Kavlekar, Bhatikar’s close aide, who was accompanying him on the trip said that the bite took place after they stopped the car within the Mollem sanctuary around Anmod for a brief break and alighted.
“We had travelled to Dandeli (Karnataka) for a meeting and were returning home. It was around 1am. He asked me to pull over to take a break. It was pitch dark when we alighted. He dropped his phone and when he bent over to pick it up, he said he felt something bite him. It was dark and we couldn’t see what it was,” Kavlekar said.
{{/usCountry}}“We had travelled to Dandeli (Karnataka) for a meeting and were returning home. It was around 1am. He asked me to pull over to take a break. It was pitch dark when we alighted. He dropped his phone and when he bent over to pick it up, he said he felt something bite him. It was dark and we couldn’t see what it was,” Kavlekar said.
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The duo then drove towards Goa, during which Bhatikar began to lose consciousness, after which he was taken to the nearest health centre in an ambulance.
Condolences poured in no sooner than the news of Dr Bhatikar’s passing poured in on Friday morning.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant expressed his condolences.
“Deeply shocked and saddened to hear about the untimely passing of the renowned physiotherapist, Dr. Ketan Bhatikar. His departure is a profound loss to the medical community. My heartfelt sympathies go out to his family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. May his soul attain Sadgati,” Sawant said.
A physiotherapist by profession, Bhatikar had entered the political fray in 2017 and had contested the Panaji assembly election on the ticket of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rebel outfit, the Goa Suraksha Manch led by former RSS-Goa Chief Subhash Velingkar.
In 2022, he joined the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and contested the election to the Ponda seat that was ultimately won by former Goa CM Ravi Naik of the BJP, who passed away last year prompting a by-election.
Tributes continued to pour in for the leader.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of our leader, Dr. Ketan Bhatikar. His unwavering commitment to public service will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family, relatives, and friends during this time of grief. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao of the Congress said.