National Award-winning Kannada actor Sanchari Vijay will be laid to rest with full police honours, the Karnataka Chief Minister said on Tuesday, June 15. The actor had sustained head injuries in a road accident on Saturday night and had been admitted to Bengaluru’s Apollo Hospital in critical condition. Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tweeted, “The final rites of National Award-winning actor Sanchari Vijay will be held with police honours. I am thankful to his family, who came forward to donate the organs. I offer my condolences to the talented artist Sanchari Vijay.”
Apollo Hospitals announced at 3.45 am on June 15 that the actor had passed away. “With profound grief and sorrow, we hereby inform you that Mr Sanchari Vijay has expired today, 15-6-2021 at 3:34 am. The entire Apollo Family extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and fans of Mr Vijay,” a medical bulletin issued by neurosurgeon Dr Arun L Naik said.
Apollo Hospitals had on Monday, June 14, announced in a medical bulletin issued at 1.15 pm that Vijay was showing signs of brain failure and was unconscious. “Neurologically he is deeply unconscious and is showing signs of brain failure. The family has come forward and has consented for organ donation keeping in view the current irreversible brain damage,” the hospital had said.
Later, at 8.20 pm, the hospital issued another statement saying, “Mr Vijay’s apnea tests were performed at 12.25 and 7.50 pm today and are found to be positive. This means that, there is irreversible damage to the brain and he is brain dead.”
'ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಪುರಸ್ಕೃತ ನಟ ಸಂಚಾರಿ ವಿಜಯ್ ಅವರ ಅಂತ್ಯಕ್ರಿಯೆಯನ್ನು ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಗೌರವಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ನಡೆಸಲಾಗುವುದು. ಅವರ ಅಂಗಾಂಗ ದಾನ ಮಾಡಿ ಸಾರ್ಥಕತೆ ಮೆರೆದಿರುವ ಕುಟುಂಬದವರಿಗೆ ಕೃತಜ್ಞತೆಗಳ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಸಂತಾಪ ಸೂಚಿಸುತ್ತಾ, ಪ್ರತಿಭಾವಂತ ಕಲಾವಿದ ಸಂಚಾರಿ ವಿಜಯ್ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಭಾವಪೂರ್ಣ ಶ್ರದ್ಧಾಂಜಲಿಗಳನ್ನು ಸಲ್ಲಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ' : ಸಿಎಂ @BSYBJP.
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) June 15, 2021
Vijay was injured when he and his friend Naveen had gone out to buy medicines. The duo, who were not wearing helmets, were returning to the latter's residence when the two-wheeler skidded and hit an electric pole. Naveen was the driver, while Vijay was the pillion rider. The incident took place at 11.45 pm on Saturday at L&T South City, JP Nagar 7th Phase. While Naveen suffered fractures to his leg, Vijay sustained head and leg injuries.
Sanchari Vijay was a celebrated theatre artist and actor in Karnataka. In addition to Kannada films, the actor had also worked in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films as well. He was honoured with a National Award for his performance as a transgender person in the critically-acclaimed movie Naanu Avanalla…Avalu. Sanchari was last seen in the 2020 Kannada film ACT 1978.