COVID-19: Migrant Worker Tests Positive, Allegedly Kills Himself

The 30-year-old migrant worker tested positive for coronavirus on 10 April and was undergoing treatment in Akola.

A 30-year-old migrant worker in Akola tested positive for coronavirus on 10 April and allegedly killed himself the following day.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

A 30-year-old migrant worker from Assam, who had tested positive for coronavirus on Friday and was undergoing treatment at a government hospital in Akola city of Maharashtra, died after allegedly slitting his throat early on Saturday, 11 April, officials said.

The victim, a migrant labourer from Nagaon district of Assam, had been admitted to the isolation ward of the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here on 7 April. He had tested positive for coronavirus on 10 April, a senior official of the GMCH said.

“The man allegedly slit his own throat at around 5 am and was found on the bathroom floor by the hospital staff,” the official said, adding that the victim succumbed to his injuries while undergoing surgery.

Three persons had tested positive for coronavirus in Akola on Friday and the deceased was one of them, the official said.

When contacted, an official of the City Kotwali Police Station said it appears to be a case of suicide and investigations are on. So far, 13 persons have tested coronavirus positive in Akola district with six from Akola city, officials said.

(If you are suicidal or know anyone in distress, reach out to the numbers of local emergency services, helplines, and mental health NGOs here.)