Tirupati, Feb 12: A middle-aged man committed suicide out of fear that he was infected with the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19), which has killed over 1000 in China. The deceased identified as Balakrishna (50) was suffering from hypertension. He killed self, after being discharged from hospital, fearing it would spread to his family. The incident happened in Chittoor district on Monday but came to light only on Tuesday.
Balakrishna was treated in Tirupati last week and told that he had an infection. After two days in the hospital, he got better and returned to his village in Chittoor district on Sunday. But fearing that he was infected with COVID-19, Balakrishna isolated himself from his family. Before committing suicide, he surfed many videos about Coronavirus and also behaved weirdly with the family members by warning them against coming close to him.
“He remained aloof, saying he was infected with coronavirus and asked his family not to come near him. When they tried to approach him, he got agitated, threw stones at them and then locked himself in a room," district medical and health officer Dr M Penchalaiah said.
He was found hanging from a tree near his mother’s grave on the village outskirts. The tragic incident took place in Seshama Naidu Kandriga in Thottambedu block.
According to reports, he was suffering from cold and fever. He went to Tirupati hospital where doctors gave him medicines for viral infection and advised him to wear mask. He wrongly thought he had coronavirus. However, doctors told Balakrishna he did not have coronavirus.
His son Balamurali said that his father panicked and started saying he needed to kill himself to keep other safe from him and coronavirus. “He began to pelt stones and things at us to keep us away from him,” Balamurali said.
“My father was all worried that the virus would spread to us. He hanged himself to save us,” Murali said.
Thottambedu police sub-inspector Venkata Subbaiah said no case was registered as the family refused to lodge a complaint. Till now, no Coronavirus case has been reported in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Comments
Well done police. This trouble maker should be screwed up and police should obtain all the details about the organisation and financers behind him. He is definately a jobless guy and is hired by anti social sangh parivar. Police should do more investigation as he may be involved in many more issues like this and find out the real person who has hired him and made his brain wash in the name of religion.
Good action by the administration police must take strict action against such organization and with their members.At Karnataka specially in South Kanara dept must seize their funding. These are job less crooks plating with the power of money. They not bother about our society and Nation.
Add new comment