Haryana BJP leader, actor Sonali Phogat dies of heart attack in Goa

BJP leader from Haryana and actor Sonali Phogat died of a heart attack in Goa, police said on Tuesday.

Phogat (42), a former Tik Tok star who had also participated in the reality TV show "Bigg Boss", was on a visit to Goa along with some of her staff members.

On Monday night, she was brought to St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa district after she complained of uneasiness.

Goa Director General of Police Jaspal Singh told PTI that Phogat complained of uneasiness while she was at 'Curlies' restaurant in Anjuna from where she was taken to the hospital.

There is no foul play in the case, he said.

There are no external injury marks on the body, Singh said, adding that the postmortem report will reveal the exact cause of the death.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Mapusa) Jivba Dalvi said she was brought dead to the hospital.

Prime facie, the cause of death is established as heart attack but further medical examination is on, he said.

The body was sent to the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) at Bambolim for postmortem.

Forensic experts at the GMCH will conduct the postmortem, Singh said.

Haryana BJP chief O P Dhankar said, "She has passed away. I have been given information that she was in Goa."

BJP's Hisar district president Capt Bhupender said, "Sonali ji was in Goa. I spoke to her assistant and he said that she died of a heart attack".

Phogat had unsuccessfully contested from Adampur Assembly constituency in Hisar against Kuldeep Bishnoi in the 2019 Assembly election.

Bishnoi, who was then in the Congress, recently joined the BJP.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, BJP leaders O P Dhankar and Kuldeep Bishnoi took to Twitter to condole Phogat's demise.

Bishnoi had met Phogat in Hisar a few days ago.

Phogat was active on social media and had recently posted photos of her meeting with Bishnoi.

She had participated in a Janmashtami festival function in Hisar a few days back.

Her husband passed away a few years ago.