Fearing infection, Phagwara woman ends life

Our Correspondent

Phagwara, April 5

An elderly widow, identified as Santosh Kaur (65), suffering from common cold reportedly committed suicide by consuming a poisonous substance at her residence in Khurampur village on Saturday evening. The police said she took the extreme step as she feared of getting infected by coronavirus.

She even asked her daughters not to visit her as a precautionary measure.

Punjab Agro Industrial Corporation chairman Joginder Singh Maan visited the village to give condolences to the family. He told this correspondent that the deceased was paranoid of getting infected with the virus. She even wrote a suicide note before taking the extreme step, Maan said.

On getting information, a team of doctors, led by Phagwara Senior Medical Officer Dr Kamal Kishore, visited the house of the deceased and medically examined her.

When contacted, Kapurthala Civil Surgeon Dr Jasmeet Bawa told this correspondent here on Sunday that the deceased seemed be in depression. When contacted, Phagwara Deputy Superintendent of Police said the deceased had written a suicide note, wherein she stated that she was ending her life of her own accord. The DSP said as per preliminary examination, she showed no symptoms of coronavirus.