Senior Citizens kill themselves over the fear of spreading COVID to grandson

Kota, May 3: A coronavirus positive couple in their 70s here died allegedly by jumping before a moving train as they feared they might spread the infection to their grandson, police said.

Heeralal Bairwa (75) and his wife Shantibai (70) were living with their 18-year-old grandson and daughter-in-law at the Purohitji Ki Tapri area in the Kota. The elderly couple’s son had died eight years ago, police said.

They had tested positive for the coronavirus on April 29 and had since then been in-home quarantine, Sub-Inspector at Railway Colony police station Ramesh Chand Sharma said.

The couple allegedly jumped before a train on the Delhi-Mumbai track near Chambal overbridge.

A case under Section 174 (unnatural death) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was registered and the bodies sent for the 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.


Also Read: Bengal govt restricts the number of invitees to the wedding to 50 as COVID cases rise

 

No suicide note was recovered from the spot, he said.

Meanwhile, another youth, identified as Gourav Yadav (20), a resident of Balita road under Kunhari police station allegedly hanged himself from the ceiling fan in his house on Sunday.

According to the family members, Yadav was mentally ill and would often hurt or injure himself, Kunhari police station SI Mohanlal said.

A case of unnatural death under CrPC section 174 has been registered and the body was handed over to the family members for last rites, he added.