Elderly couple kill themselves over fear of infecting grandson
(Sourced from PTI)
A coronavirus-positive couple in their 70s died in Kota on Sunday by jumping before a moving train as they feared they might spread the infection to their grandson, police said. Heeralal Bairwa (75), his wife Shantibai (70) were living with their 18-year-old grandson and daughter-in-law at Purohitji Ki Tapri area in the city. The elderly couple's son had died eight years ago, police said.
"They had tested COVID-19 positive on April 29 and had since then been in home quarantine," Sub-Inspector at Railway Colony Police Station Ramesh Chand Sharma said. They allegedly jumped before a train on the Delhi Mumbai up line track near Chambal overbridge on Sunday morning.
A case under Section 174 (unnatural death) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was registered and bodies sent for last rites according to the COVID-19 protocol. "Initial probe revealed that the couple feared that their only grandson and other family members may catch the coronavirus. The two left their home in the early hours of Sunday and took the extreme step," the SI said.
"No suicide note was recovered from the spot," he said. Meanwhile, in another tragic incident, a resident doctor at a private hospital in Delhi died by suicide on Friday due to severe stress amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He had been treating COVID-19 patients in the ICU at Max Hospital Saket. He was found hanging at his residence in South Delhi's Malviya Nagar.
"Dr. Vivek Rai had been looking after COVID-19 patients at the private hospital for the last one month," ex-IMA Chief Dr. Wankhedkar said. "He had been dealing with seven to eight critical patients every day," he said, adding the young doctor developed depression after more and more people kept dying. A purported suicide note signed by Dr. Rai was also recovered.
