PremiumSonali Phogat, BJP leader & former Bigg Boss contestant, dies of heart attack; Rubina Dilaik, Rahul Vaidya, Aly Goni mourn
The now-deceased reality TV star-turned-politician, who was up against Congress candidate Kuldeep Bishnoi in the 2019 elections in Haryana, died at the age of 42.
Last Updated: 06.46 PM, Aug 23, 2022
Sonali Phogat, Bharatiya Janata Party (BLP) leader and former reality TV show Bigg Boss contestant, has died at the age of 42 after suffering a massive heart attack, as per a report by NDTV.
On Monday night, Phogat breathed her last in Goa. According to the same news report, she was visiting Goa with some of her employees. While at the famous Curlies eatery, Phogat had complained of uneasiness and was rushed to St Anthony hospital in North Goa.
There is no foul play in the case, Goa Police chief Jaspal Singh told news agency PTI. "There are no external injury marks on the body," Mr Singh said.
"There are no external injury marks on the body," Jaspal Singh, Goa Police Chief, told PTI, while senior official added that "prima facie" her death is a case of heart attack but revealed that further "medical examination" is on, as told by police personnel Jivba Dalvi said.
On social media, political figures such as Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar expressed their shock over her death, tweeting, "Deeply saddened to learn about the death of Sonali Phogat." And her industry friends, too, joined in to express their grief over her death, with Rahul Vaidya writing, "Sonali ji… galat baat! Itne jaldi kaun jaata hai … Abhi to maine Haryana aana tha aapke ghar..."
Sadly, Sonali Phogat had just posted pictures and videos on her Instagram page moments before her untimely death.
For the uninitiated, Sonali Phogat became known after her TikTok videos went viral and had gained a huge fanbase on the video-sharing app that is now banned in India. Phogat started her acting journey back in 2016 with the Indian TV show Amma: Ek Maa Jo Laakhon Ke Liye Bani Amma, before taking part in the web series The Story Of Badmashgarh in 2019.
Phogat had started out as an TV anchor in 2006 before joining BJP, as per the NDTV report. Her last TV stint was the reality show Bigg Boss in 2020.
Sonali Phogat got negative online attention after she openly beat up a public servant in Hisar, Haryana. As she was captured on camera by many, Sonali Phogat went viral for hitting the public employee with a pair of slippers.
Sonali Phogat is survived by her only daughter Yashodhara Phogat and husband Sanjay Phogat.