Tamil Nadu returnee ends life at quarantine centre in Odisha

Baripada: A youth returned from Tamil Nadu committed suicide at a quarantine centre at Anla panchayat under Betnoti Block in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.

The deceased has been identified as Surendra Behera, a resident of Raikama village under Baisinga police limits in the district.

According to reports, the 35-year-old Surendra was under quarantine along with his wife at quarantine centre located at Dambarudahar area under Anla panchayat after the couple returned from Tamil Nadu amid lockdown. He hanged himself from a tree near the quarantine centre last night.

Source said that no security personnel had been deployed at the quarantine centre for safety of returnees in battle against COVID-19.

This is the second incident in Odisha showing poor management of quarantine centres set up to fight COVID-19. A week ago, a 40-year-old man who had returned from Surat died at a quarantine centre in Polasara area of Ganjam district.  He was suffering from fever since the day of his arrival to home district from Surat, however, nobody paid attention to it.

Worth mentioning, Mayurbhanj district has reported nine COVID-19 positive cases with all active cases so far. All the infected persons have recently returned to the district from various states.