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The analysis shows that both sudden deaths and heart attack deaths have shown a consistent increase since 2019 but a noticeable jump came in 2022 and 2023
Of the 35,637 heart attack deaths in 2023, Maharashtra reported the most (14,165). The next state was Kerala at 4,345.
India reported about 175 sudden deaths daily in 2023 on an average and close to 100 of these were deaths due to heart attack, analysis of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data by News18 shows.
In 2022, India reported 32,410 heart attack deaths out of the total 56,653 sudden deaths. This increased to 63,609 sudden deaths in 2023, including 35,637 heart attack deaths.
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The NCRB report ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India’ defined sudden deaths as unexpected death that is instantaneous or occurs within minutes from any cause other than violence.
The cases involved heart attack and brain haemorrhage among others. The report has listed two categories under sudden deaths—heart attacks and others. Heart attacks form a major subset of sudden deaths, comprising about 60 per cent of sudden deaths.
Of the total 63,609 sudden deaths reported in India, 53,310 were men, 10,289 were women and 10 transgender. The biggest contributing state was Maharashtra with 21,310 deaths. Clubbed with Karnataka (7,551) and Kerala (6,930), the three states accounted for over 56 per cent of the total sudden deaths reported in India.
Of the 35,637 heart attack deaths in 2023, Maharashtra reported the most (14,165). The next state was Kerala at 4,345, followed by Karnataka at 2,352. These three states accounted for almost 59 per cent of the total heart attack deaths in the year. The numbers also suggest that over 66 per cent of the sudden deaths in Maharashtra were heart attacks.
The analysis shows that in Odisha (589), Puducherry (48) and Lakshadweep (1), all the sudden deaths were heart attacks.
In terms of gender, 30,999 deaths in heart attack cases were of men and 4,634 were of women and four were transgenders.
The age group between 45-60 years registered the highest number of sudden deaths as well as heart attacks, followed by the 30-45 year age group, as shown in the graph.
The analysis shows that both sudden deaths and heart attack deaths have shown a consistent increase since 2019 but a noticeable jump came in 2022 and 2023.
When compared to 2019, the sudden deaths have increased from 47,295 to 63,609—a 35 per cent increase. The cases of heart attack deaths increased from 28,005 in 2019 to 35,637 in 2023, a 27 per cent rise.
In July, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that the matter of sudden unexplained deaths has been investigated through several agencies in the country.
“These studies have conclusively established that there is no direct link between Covid-19 vaccination and the reports of sudden deaths in the country,” the ministry had said, adding that sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-Covid complications.
The ministry also said that studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) affirm that Covid-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects.
The ICMR and NCDC have been working together to understand the causes behind sudden unexplained deaths, especially in young adults between the ages of 18 and 45 years. To explore this, two complementary studies were undertaken using different research approaches—one based on past data and another involving real-time investigation.
About the Author
Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived…Read More
Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived… Read More
September 30, 2025, 15:11 IST
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