In a shocking development, Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar passed away at the age of 46 following a massive heart attack. According to family sources, Puneeth suffered a heart attack while working out at a gym. Immediately he was shifted to Vikram Hospital. Dr Ranganath Nayak stated that his condition was critical when he was brought to the hospital. But the efforts of doctors to revive him went in vain.

The actor's passing away evoked strong responses from fans and sportspersons alike. Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag took to microblogging site Twitter and expressed his condolences. He wrote, "Saddened to hear about the passing away of #PuneethRajkumar . Warm , and humble, his passing away is a great blow to Indian cinema. May his soul attain sadgati. Om Shanti (sic)."