Did Trivandrum Commissioner Pass Away Due to Heart Attack in This Clip? No!

The claim is misleading as Commissioner Thomson Jose collapsed due to a heatstroke and resumed his duty soon after.

A video of Thiruvananthapuram City's Commissioner Thomson Jose is being widely shared with the false claim that he passed away due to a heart attack during an event.

(Source: Instagram/Altered by The Quint)

A video showing Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner Thomson Jose collapsing on the stage during a speech by Governor Rajendra Arlekar on 26 January, amid Republic Day celebrations is being shared on social media.

The claim: Those sharing the clip have claimed it shows Jose suffering a heart attack and passing away.

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: Instagram/Screenshot)

(Archived versions of more posts sharing this claim can be seen here and here.)

But...?: The claim is misleading.

• While it is true that Jose collapsed during the event, he did not pass away.

• He suffered a heatstroke and returned to the event after receiving prompt medical attention.

How do we know?: A reverse image search on a section of the video using Google Lens led us to a report by Kalinga TV, which mentioned that Thiruvananthapuram Police Commissioner Thomson Jose collapsed due to a heatstroke.

Multiple reports said that Jose collapsed due to a heatstroke.

(Source: Kalinga TV/Screenshot)

• A relevant keyword search led us to more news reports by Mathrubhumi and The Logical Indian.

• Both reports mentioned that Jose fainted due to a heatstroke and received prompt medical attention from an ambulance stationed at the venue.

• He was found to be in stable condition and returned to the event shortly after collapsing, reports said.

• Our search also led us to more reports after January, including one by DD News which showed Jose speaking about security arrangements for Pongal in March.

• He also spoke to Times of India on 9 May about bomb threats which were issued to schools in Thiruvananthapuram.

• A report by The Hindu, dated 19 May, about a Dalit woman's wrongful detainment over theft also mentioned an inquiry led by Jose, which led to the suspension of a sub-inspector in Kerala.

• It is evident that he did not pass away in January 2025.

• The Quint has reached out to the Commissioner's office for their inputs an d will update this report as and when a response is received.

Conclusion: Thiruvananthapuram City Commissioner Thomson Jose did not pass away due to a heart attack during Republic Day celebrations.

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