Bengaluru, Oct 30: An approximate 69 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the bypoll to Sindgi assembly constituency in Karnataka, while it was 84 per cent in Hangal segment, election officials said on Saturday.

Polling began at 7 am and went on till 7 pm.

According to poll officials, elections were held by strictly adhering to COVID-19 guidelines, and no incidents have been reported.

A total of 19 candidates were in the fray in the two constituencies, including six from Sindgi and 13 from Hangal. Two candidates from Sindgi were women.

Counting of votes will take place on November 2.

A total of 4,39,148 voters, including 230 service voters, were eligible to cast their votes from both constituencies, at 560 polling stations.

The by-election was necessitated as the seats fell vacant following the death of Sindgi JD(S) legislator M C Managuli and BJP's C M Udasi from Hangal.

While Ramesh Bhusanur, who came second behind Managuli in 2018 polls, is the BJP candidate from Sindgi, Shivaraj Sajjanar is its candidate from Hangal constituency.

The Congress has named M C Managuli's son Ashok Managuli, who has joined the party, as its candidate from Sindgi, while former MLC Srinivas Mane is its candidate from Hangal.

The JD(S), which was the first to announce its candidates, has fielded 33-year-old post graduate Naziya Shakeel Ahmed Angadi from Sindgi and 35-year-old B.E, M.Tech graduate Niyaz Shaikh from Hangal.

This is the first electoral challenge for Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai after taking charge. Retaining Hangal is even more important for him as it is the neighbouring constituency to his Shiggaon assembly segment.

The Congress, by ensuring a win, wants to give momentum for its preparations in the run up to 2023 assembly polls in the state, while the JD(S) is looking to retain Sindgi seat and thereby prove that it still commands a support base in the northern districts.

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Bengaluru: A woman in Bengaluru has shared a painful account of how her husband died after they were repeatedly denied medical help and ignored by passersby during a medical emergency, NDTV reported.

The victim, 34-year-old Venkataramanan, a garage mechanic from Balaji Nagar, developed severe chest pain around 3.30 am. His wife immediately took him on a motorcycle in search of medical help.

"He complained about chest pain, and we went to the first hospital. However, the doctor was not on duty. At the second hospital, we were told he had a stroke and to go to another hospital. When we called for ambulance services, they did not respond properly. Humanity failed, but we did our bit by donating his eye." NDTV quoted his wife as saying.

According to the report, after being turned away twice, the couple met with an accident on the road. CCTV footage later showed the woman, covered in blood, pleading with folded hands as vehicles passed by, but no one stopped to help.

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The wait ended after several minutes when a cab driver stopped and rushed Venkataramanan to a nearby hospital. Doctors there declared him dead on arrival.

As per the report, the family decided to donate Venkataramanan’s eyes, giving sight to others even in death.

Venkataraman's mother, who had lost her last surviving child, had no words to express herself: "I have no words. I do not know what to say. My son is gone."

"The government should understand a health emergency. My daughter is left with two children. Who will look after them?" asked his mother-in-law. His wife, mother, and two children, a five-year-old son and an 18-month-old daughter now survive Venkataramanan.

The incident has once again raised serious questions about emergency healthcare access, ambulance response, and public apathy in the city.