Corona: Facing discrimination, Una man hangs self
SHIMLA: Amidst Coronavirus spread, and testing of seven Tablighi Jamaat returnees as positive in past two days, a 37-year-old man committed suicide at Una in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.
Director General of Police S R Mardi confirmed that deceased despite having been tested negative was facing social discrimination due to virus fear in the village.
Mohammad Dalshad–father of two, as police say, hanged himself at village Bangarh. His body was found hanging inside washroom in the morning. Family members of the deceased alleged that Dalshad was being taunted by locals as being ‘virus” contact despite he was having tested negative some days back.
Mardi said the police have registered a case and investigations were underway. But, it somehow looks as case of social discrimination because of virus spread.
Dalshad had come in contact with some persons ,who had returned from Tablighi Jamaat congregation held at Nizamuddin few days back.
The villagers suspected him having contracted virus from those two persons and told him to get his tests done, which he did. He was also sent to home quarantine facility a few days ago where he tested negative for the disease.
Despite his report being negative, Dalshad continued to face social boycott and were being taunted by few villagers.
Last Saturday night, he went to washroom and hanged himself inside. Mardi has appealed the people to follow principal of social distancing but not social discrimination as collective fight was against Coronavirus not against any person or community.
8 new cases in Himachal
In past 24 hours, eight new Coronavirus cases have been tested positive. They include four having travel history to Nizamuddin. Three of them including two are in the age group of 17 –year and belong to Ghaziabad (UP). They were admitted to Indira Gandhi Medical college Shimla in the morning.
Four other persons tested positive were in close contact with woman who died at PGI Chandigarh. All four are shifted to Medanta, Gurgaon.