Mangaluru: A retired army soldier collapsed and died during a flag hoisting ceremony marking Independence Day at a village in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district on Monday, police said.

The deceased has been identified as Gangadhara Gowda.

As people across the country celebrated the 76th Independence Day, the Kutrupady gram panchayat in Kadaba taluk too organised a flag hoisting ceremony.

Gowda, who took part in the ceremony, collapsed soon after giving a call for saluting the national flag, police said.

Though he was rushed to hospital, Gowda died on the way, they said.