BENGALURU, Nov 25: Veteran Kannada films rebel actor M.H. Ambareesh died at a private hospital here on Saturday night following a heart attack, a duty doctor said on Sunday. He was 66.
"Ambareesh died at around 10.15 p.m. after a massive cardiac arrest (heart attack) a couple of hours after he was brought to our hospital in the evening due to breathing (respiratory) problem," the doctor told IANS from Vikram Hospital in the city centre.
The super star of the sandalwood industry is survived by his widow and multi-lingual actress Sumalatha and son Abhishek.
In a statement on early Sunday, the hospital, however, said, Ambareesh was found unresponsive at his residence (in the city's southern suburb) and resuscitation efforts were initiated at his home and continued en-route to the hospital.
Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, cabinet ministers K.J. George and D.K. Shivakumar were among the several political leaders who visited the hospital soon after doctors declared Ambareesh dead.
In consultation with the family, the chief minister has directed the officials concerned to make arrangements for the public and fans to pay their last respects to Ambareesh at Kanteerva Stadium opposite Cubbon Park in the city centre from 8 a.m. onwards.
In a statement after midnight, the chief minister's office said last rites of Ambareesh body would be performed on Monday near Rajkumar Smaraka at Kanteerava Studio in the city's northwest suburb with state honours, as decided in consultation with his family members.
Ambareesh was former cabinet minister in the previous Congress government from May 2013 to June 2016 when then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sacked him along with 13 other ministers in a major reshuffle of his ministry.
He was Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting in the first UPA government and a Parliament member from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, about 100km from here. - IANS