Quarantined railways worker hangs self, report comes negative

A railway employee who was quaratined and his coronavirus test report was awaited, allegedly committed suicide in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Thursday.

According to the official, Om Prakash (59) committed suicide on Wednesday and his Corona test report that came later in the evening showed him negative for the COVID-19. The deceased also left behind a suicide note.

Om Prakash was found hanging in the Tundla-based private hospital, which has been turned into a quarantine facility. He was a fourth-grade employee posted at the carriage and wagon department in Tundla and belonged to Raipur in Chhattisgarh, the reports said.

According to the district administration, Om Prakash and seven other railway employees were quarantined after a senior section engineer of the carriage and wagon department in Tundla was tested positive for the coronavirus.

Firozabad District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh said: "The reason for suicide is not clear, as the victim had not mentioned any motive for taking the extreme step in his one page suicide note."

In the suicide note addressed to his elder son Hemant, Om Prakash asked him to take care of the family and also recover cash (Rs 67,000) which he had kept under his bed at his government accommodation and Rs 4,000 in his trousers' pocket.

S.K. Gupta, President of North Central Railway Karmchari Sangh of Tundla unit, in press statement, claimed that two days ago, Om Prakash had complained of abdominal pain and demanded some medicine but his pleas were ignored.

Refuting the allegations, the District Magistrate said, "Each railway employee was provided separate room, doctors and other medical facilities were available round the clock. There was no report of misbehaviour by any medical staff and necessary items, including food and water, were provided to the quarantined people."

The victim's body has been sent for post-mortem.

Satish Ganesh, Inspector General of Police, Agra range said, "The Tundla-based quarantine facility is one of the best in Firozabad. The victim was given a private room with attached bathroom and toilet, and it was cleaned regularly."