A tragic incident unfolded in Chennai on the evening of February 8, when Colonel JJ Johnson Thomas, a 50-year-old retired army officer, reportedly collapsed and died after playing badminton at the Army Campus Ground, located off Anna Salai.The retired colonel, who was receiving medical services under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), had been playing a friendly match with colleagues at around 7 PM.
After the game, he drank some water and sat down to rest. However, moments later, he suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed. Witnesses immediately rushed him to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Unfortunately, doctors declared him dead upon arrival. The body was later transferred to the hospital mortuary for preservation, pending a post-mortem examination.