Palakkad (Kerala) | A youth who was being shifted from the Tribal Taluk Speciality Hospital in Attappady to the Medical College Hospital in Thrissur died after the ambulance carrying him was held up in a traffic block at a ghat section for over an hour, police said on Friday.

The deceased was identified as Sajeev Kumar (25), a resident of Valamari Ooru in Attappady.

According to police, Kumar, who belonged to a tribal community, had been admitted to the Attappady Tribal Taluk Speciality Hospital with a high fever.

On Thursday evening, he developed breathing difficulties and hospital authorities decided to shift him to the Medical College Hospital in Thrissur for advanced treatment.

While being taken to the hospital in an ambulance, traffic came to a standstill after a tree fell across the road in the ghat section at Attappady.

The ambulance remained stuck in the traffic block for more than an hour before authorities cleared the road, police said.

However, by the time he reached the Thrissur hospital, Kumar's condition had worsened and he died, officials said.

Police have initiated an investigation into the incident and a case is likely to be registered soon.

Further proceedings will be initiated after discussions with the family and doctors, officials added.