Amritsar: Amritsar police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against four doctors from Fortis Hospital following a medical board’s findings of negligence in the death of professional bodybuilder and actor Varinder Singh Ghuman. The 41-year-old athlete, known as the “He-Man of India” and a prominent vegetarian fitness icon, passed away on October 9, 2025, after undergoing what was described as a minor surgical procedure for a shoulder injury.
The police action was initiated based on a detailed report by a seven-member medical board headed by the Civil Surgeon of Amritsar. The board, which included specialists in orthopaedics, cardiology, anaesthesia, and forensic science, concluded that there was a significant “lack of transparency” and a “deviation from standard protocols” during Ghuman’s treatment. The report also noted that the hospital failed to adequately explain the complications that arose during the surgery to the family.
The doctors named in the FIR have been identified as Dr. Tapish Shukla, Dr. Alka Tiwari, Dr. Rajinder Kaur, and Dr. Arun Kumar Chopra. The case has been registered under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to causing death by negligence. According to the hospital’s earlier statement, Ghuman suffered a sudden cardiac arrhythmia at approximately 3:35 pm following the completion of a rotator cuff repair. Despite resuscitation efforts, he was declared dead later that evening.
Ghuman’s death had sparked massive protests outside the hospital last year, with family and friends alleging that his body had turned blue, suggesting immediate post-operative failure. As a Mr. India 2009 winner and a world-renowned vegetarian bodybuilder who appeared in films like Tiger 3 and Marjaavaan, his untimely demise was seen as a major loss to the fitness community. Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar stated that the investigation is ongoing and further legal steps will be taken based on the findings of the medical board.
