In a horrific incident, a guest died while taking part in a Live TV programme in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Dr Rita Jitendra, former secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, was speaking on DD Kashmir’s Good Morning J&K programme when she suddenly stopped talking.
A known educationist in the valley, Jitendra was immediately rushed to SMHS Hospital, where she was declared dead. Medical Superintendent of SMHS hospital Dr Saleem Tak was quoted by Greater Kashmir newspaper as saying that she died due to sudden cardiac arrest
Tak was quoted as saying, “The cardiac arrest may have taken place due to heart arrhythmia, which is an abnormal heart beating.”
The show’s producer, Tanveer Mir, said that Jitendra choked suddenly and collapsed. In the video, posted on YouTube, the professor could be seen speaking before she stopped as her head turned backward with her mouth wide open.
Mire told Kashmir Reader that this was the first incident in the history of Doordarshan, India’s public broadcaster, that a guest died during a live programme. Jitendra was taking part in a show, hosted by senior writer and artist Zahid Mukhtar.
“We managed to run the whole programme to keep the broadcast uninterrupted. But we are very saddened with this incident and we pray for the departed soul,” the producer added.
The doctors later handed over the professor’s body to her family.