AIIMS students' body raise money for shopkeeper

New Delhi: AIIMS Students' Association is raising funds for Rahmat Ahsan also called 'Rahmat uncle', who died of Covid-19 after he had fever and was feeling restlessness for the last few days.

Resident doctors and students shared the last message by Rehmat who had a handwritten notice reading "tabiyat kharab hai, aaj dukaan band rahegi" (I am unwell, the store will be closed today). The shop's shutters still remain closed.

He had high blood pressure and started having difficulty breathing on Wednesday. His family could not get him a bed anywhere. He died early Thursday morning. "Since he won't be counted as a Covid-19 warrior by the government for compensation, we are raising funds for his family as our token for his service at AIIMS," AIIMS students' body said.

Rahmat is survived by his wife and two daughters aged 14 and 12. Rahmat ran a general store, selling everything from chips to notebooks, inside the AIIMS hospital campus for over 20 years.

"His voice is still echoing in my ears. It is unbelievable," said a senior doctor at the hospital.