Debajyoti Ghosh, 25, a promising footballer who had signed for East Bengal for the forthcoming season, died after suffering a heart attack while playing the final match of a local football tournament in Nadia’s Belpukur on Saturday evening.

A resident of Sukul Road in Krishnagar, Debajyoti, who used to play as a central midfielder, took ill during the dying minutes of the match being played between Krishnagar Central Club and Nabadwip Sevak Samity.

He collapsed on the ground and was rushed to the Dhubulia rural hospital in a police vehicle as no ambulance had been kept on stand-by. As doctors felt that Debajyoti’s condition was critical, they referred him to the Nadia district hospital in Krishnagar, where he was declared dead.

Son of a milkman, Debajyoti played for Railway Football Club in the last season. Family sources said he had come home on Friday for the final match.

“We had signed him for the forthcoming season. His death comes as a shock,” East Bengal official Debabrata Sarkar said.