Gujarat: Hindus help reopen mosque after 30 yrs in riot hit locality

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.

Mangaluru, Jul 8: A corporator and a staff in Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) have tested positive for the coronavirus. 

The woman corporator, who was under home quarantine for past few days ago, received her covid test report today. 

A staff of health department who works in MCC also tested positive for the covid-19. 

The woman corporator had recently attended a primary health centre meeting. A person who had attended the meeting was later tested positive. Hence the corporator was placed under home quarantine.

Kundapur, Apr 28: The local police have arrested two people for threatening and preventing an Associated Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers from discharging their duties during the lockdown.

Police said on Tuesday that the arrested are Sandeep Mesta and Mahesh Kharvi.

According to official sources, the health officials had put Sandeep under quarantine for 28 days.

However, he was seen wandering in the streets and ASHA worker C Laxmi warned him to stay indoors.

Irked by the warning Sandeep, along with his friend Mahesh Kharvi waylaid her and threatened to kill for objecting his movement.