A teenage boxer has been declared brain dead and placed on life support after collapsing during a fight.
Karan Pipaliya, 19, received urgent medical attention during a clash at the Gujarat State Boxing Championships in India on Saturday. The young boxer had been facing off against Harshvardhan Rathod in the men's 63.5kg division. In the third round of the boxing showdown, the bout was halted due to Pipaliya's condition.
According to local reports, the teenager suffered a brain haemorrhage after collapsing and he later underwent surgery at a private hospital. It's believed that he was then transferred to SIMS hospital in Surat and was declared brain dead upon arrival.
The teenager's father, Bharat, has been left livid and has hit out at the lack of ambulances at the event as his son remains on life support.
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Speaking to the Times of India, he said: "The event had 150-odd participants but there were not enough ambulances.
"I learned that my son was taken to hospital in a private car as there was only one ambulance. If there had been an ambulance available, my son could have received prompt treatment and could have been saved. I request organisers to have adequate ambulances to ensure that such a thing doesn't happen again. My Chirag got extinguished, this should not happen to anyone else's son."
Pipaliya's mother, Rita, has also expressed her frustration in the delays in transporting her son to the hospital. "He suffered the injuries at 2.30pm but was taken to hospital at 4pm," she said.
Rita added: "The hospital took long to complete the formalities for treatment in Mehsana. If I could have taken a flight and got to Mehsana faster, my son would be talking to me now."
