Railway employee kills COVID-positive wife before ending his own life in Patna

PATNA: An employee of the East Central Railway (ECR) killed his COVID-positive wife and then ended his own life on Monday morning in Patna.

This heart-wrenching incident took place at Chitraguptanagar under the Patrakarnagar PS when Atul Lal, posted at Patna junction, first slit the throat of his wife Tulika Kumari after an altercation and thereafter jumped from the 5th floor of the house.

Sources in the police department said that the husband and wife had quarrelled over some family issues but neighbours didn't attempt to pacify them for fear of being infected with COVID-19 as one of them was positive.

Ina fit of rage, Atul Lal slit the throat of his wife allegedly with a blade and when his two children, aged about 6 and 9, cried out in shock, he jumped from the fifth floor and died instantly. The couple belonged to Ara district, said police.

In another incident, Dr BK Rajak who was in charge of the COVID-19 Danapur railway hospital also succumbed to the coronavirus on Monday.

In the last 24 hours, more than 68 people who had tested positive for CVID-19 died in different parts of Bihar including Patna.