Kota: Elderly couple kill themselves over fear of spreading coronavirus to grandson

Team Udayavani, May 3, 2021, 8:03 AM IST

Kota: Acoronavirus positive couple in their 70s died here on Sunday allegedly by jumping before a moving train as they feared they might spread the infection to their grandson, police said.

Heeralal Bairwa (75) and his wife Shantibai (70) were living with their 18-year-old grandson and daughter-in-law at Purohitji Ki Tapri area in the city. The elderly couple’s son had died eight years ago, police said.

They had tested positive for the coronavirus on April 29 and had since then been in home quarantine, Sub-Inspector at Railway Colony police station Ramesh Chand Sharma said.

The couple allegedly jumped before a train on the Delhi–Mumbai up line track near Chambal overbridge on Sunday morning.

A case under Section 174 (unnatural death) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was registered and the bodies sent for last rites according to the COVID-19 protocol.

Initial probe revealed that the couple feared that their only grandson and other family members may catch the coronavirus. The two left their home in the early hours of Sunday and took the extreme step, the SI said.

No suicide note was recovered from the spot, he said.

Meanwhile, another youth, identified as Gourav Yadav (20), a resident of Balita road under Kunhari police station allegedly hanged himself from the ceiling fan in his house on Sunday.

According to the family members, Yadav was mentally ill and would often hurt or injure himself, Kunhari police station SI Mohanlal said.

A case of unnatural death under CrPC section 174 has been registered and the body was handed over to the family members for last rites, he added.