Nana Patekar death: Why did Goa Police register an unnatural death case?

The Goa police have reportedly registered an Unnatural Death (UD) case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) following the death of veteran actor Nana Patekar, 75. The case was registered as part of the standard legal procedure to establish the circumstances and exact cause of his death.

According to officials, the Panaji Police received information from a medical officer at Manipal Hospital in Bambolim. The hospital informed them that Patekar had been brought dead to the emergency ward from his residence at Ocean Park in Dona Paula, Goa.

The investigation is being led by Sub-Inspector Nitin Naik, per reports. As part of the inquiry, the police are recording statements from family members, caretakers and neighbours to understand the events leading up to the actor’s death.

Hospital officials said Patekar had reportedly messaged a friend at around 2.30 am, complaining of severe chest pain and physical discomfort. By the time the caretaker and emergency medical team reached his residence, he was unresponsive.

Medical personnel attempted to revive him through continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for approximately 45 minutes. However, their efforts were unsuccessful, and he was declared dead at 5.20 am on Thursday. The suspected cause of death was cardiac arrest.

A post-mortem examination was arranged at Goa Medical College (GMC) to determine the precise medical cause of death. Police officials said the case would be formally closed if the findings confirmed that the death resulted entirely from natural causes, such as cardiac failure.

Meanwhile, Patekar’s last rites were conducted late on Thursday night at his farmhouse in Donje village, near Pune, after delays in transporting his mortal remains from Goa.

His son, Malhar Patekar, explained that the family had faced logistical challenges in bringing the actor’s mortal remains from Goa to their farmhouse. Since Patekar had died early on Thursday morning, considerable time had passed by the time the family reached the destination.

The family decided not to postpone the funeral until Friday morning, as this would have meant a further delay in completing the last rites. Although Hindu cremations are traditionally preferred during daylight hours, the family chose to proceed that night, considering the circumstances.

The funeral was eventually held at around 11.30 pm on Thursday, with full state honours.

The police inquiry and post-mortem examination are part of the procedures followed to establish the cause of death. The final findings are expected to determine the official outcome of the case.