Army man who tested positive for Covid-19 commits suicide at Base Hospital

The jawan was being treated for lung cancer and had been admitted to the army’s Research and Referral (RR) Hospital in Dhaula Kuan before being moved to the Naraina hospital on May 5 after testing positive for Covid-19.

A 31-year-old army jawan who had tested positive for Covid-19 hanged himself from a tree at the army’s Base Hospital in west Delhi’s Naraina in the early hours of Tuesday, the police said.

Army personnel seen wearing protective masks at Army Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt in New Delhi, India.(Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

The jawan was being treated for lung cancer and had been admitted to the army’s Research and Referral (RR) Hospital in Dhaula Kuan before being moved to the Naraina hospital on May 5 after testing positive for Covid-19, said Deepak Purohit, deputy commissioner of police (west).

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“He was last seen by other patients at 1am on Tuesday when he visited the toilet behind the Covid ward of the hospital,” he said.

He was found hanging from a tree behind the toilet around 4am that morning.

“He didn’t leave behind a suicide note, but we feel he killed himself due to distress over his illness”, Purohit said

The jawan was from Maharashtra, but his family lives in Rajasthan’s Alwar, where he was posted as a signalman until he was admitted to the RR Hospital for cancer treatment.

A spokesperson of the Indian Army confirmed the incident and called it “sad and painful”.

“The autopsy is awaited. The army has a deep sense of responsibility towards our rank and file. All necessary support will be extended to the family ,” the spokesperson said.

“His family has been informed about his death and an autopsy will be conducted when his family arrives. We have initiated inquest proceedings,” Purohit said.