KADAPA: A senior Congress leader from Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh ended his life allegedly depressed over testing positive for coronavirus.
The leader, aged 55, was the vice-president of Kadapa district Pradesh Congress Committee and hails from Chilamkuru in Errakuntla mandal. Recently, he tested positive for coronavirus and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Proddutur town.
On Monday evening, when the leader tried to leave the hospital premises, the security guards stopped him. Not heeding to the security guards, the deceased left the hospital on his two-wheeler saying them that the owner of the hospital is his friend and he wants to speak with him.
The security guards alerted the hospital management who in turn informed the Kalamala police who launched a search for the COVID-19 positive patient based on the mobile phone signals. Meanwhile, police found the body of a person on the railway tracks near Sunnapurallapalle on Tuesday night and later the victim was identified as the Congress leader who went out of the hospital.
Errakuntla Railway Sub-Inspector Y Srinivasulu said that they recovered a suicide note in which the deceased held no one responsible for his death. "The deceased, in the note, said he was depressed over testing positive for COVID-19 and took the extreme step,"' the SI said.
State Congress Committee working president N Tulasi Reddy condoled the death of the leader and appealed to the COVID-19 affected people not to lose hope and get treated at hospitals.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call AASRA's 24x7 Helpline: +91-9820466726 for assistance.)