CHENNAI: A police inspector in Chennai who was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 died on Wednesday in a government hospital. He is the first member of the city's police force to lose his life to the pandemic.
A statement from Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami condoled the death and said the inspector had lost his life while working as a frontline warrior against the pandemic. He said a family member will be given a government job.
The Chief Minister also telephoned the mother and wife of the police inspector and expressed his condolences.
The inspector's health deteriorated over the last few days and he was shifted to a government hospital from a COVID care centre.
A senior police officer said the inspector was shifted to a ventilator on Wednesday morning and breathed his last around 3.30 pm. He is survived by his wife and two children.
His death has sent shock waves among police personnel. Some of his friends in the department said that he did not have any other major health issues.
The deceased was a native of Vellore and joined the police in 2000 as a sub-inspector. He served in different police stations in Chennai before he was promoted as a police inspector. He was in the list of police inspectors expected soon to be promoted as Assistant Commissioner of Police.
His father was also a police officer. His colleagues remembered his calm attitude and pleasant approach towards young personnel even if they made mistakes.
As of Wednesday, 731 police personnel from Chennai have tested positive for COVID-19, of which 330 have recovered.