Pune: Former mayor succumbs to contagion

PUNE: Dattatray Ekbote, former mayor and socialist leader-thinker, succumbed to Covid-19 at Sassoon General Hospital at midnight on Wednesday. He was 85.
His grandson, Gaurav Ekbote, told TOI that his father also died due to complications arising from Covid-19 on August 31 and so did his aunt after testing positive in July. He said his grandfather had also been infected later.
Ekbote was diagnosed Covid-19 positive in July and had not been keeping well ever since. Initially, he was admitted to a private hospital and was later discharged in August when his health improved, said Gaurav. However, a couple of weeks ago he was admitted to Sassoon hospital with the help of local political leaders as he complained of weakness and other health issues. Family members tried to get Ekbote admitted to the same private hospitals but could not get a bed.
Active in politics for almost three decades, Ekbote was elected as a corporator in 1979. He became the city mayor in 1985.