Man Beaten on Suspicion of Being COVID-19 Patient in Maha, Dies

The incident took place when the victim stepped out to buy some essentials amid the lockdown.

A hospital turned into COVID-19 treatment centre in Mumbai. Image used for representational purposes. 

Photo: PTI

A 34-year-old man was allegedly attacked on suspicion of being a COVID-19 patient and died after falling into a gutter during the assault in Kalyan town of Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said on Friday, 24 April.

The incident took place on the morning of Wednesday when Ganesh Gupta had stepped out of his home to purchase some essentials amid the COVID-19 lockdown, an official said.

On noticing some policemen manning the street, the victim took an alternate route, where a few passersby assaulted him after he coughed while walking, he said.

The men suspected him of being a COVID-19 patient and attacked him, causing him to fall into a gutter and die, the official said.

The deceased’s body was sent for post-mortem and a case of accidental death has been registered as of now, the station house officer of the Khadakpada police station said.