COVID-19 collateral: 270 killed in fallout of Coronavirus crisis

New Delhi: As of April 24, the national death toll due to Coronavirus infection stood at 723 but apart from that, there have been 270 deaths reported from the field which are not attributable to the virus, many of which go unreported. According to curated news reports, deaths due to fear of infection of the Coronavirus stands at 60 in the country and exhaustion due to walking or standing in queues has so far caused 17 deaths.

As per a report compiled by DataMeet from various credible news reports, 30 people have lost their lives for want of medical care and attention. The national lockdown imposed restrictions on the sale of non-essential items including alcohol and cigarettes and deaths and suicides due to alcohol withdrawal stood at 42.

Starvation and financial distress has caused 27 deaths, stated the report.

Shivakumar, a resident of R T Nagar Post, Bengaluru hung himself in his house on March 19, a day after one of his family members reprimanded him for not driving his autorickshaw and earning money.

"The deceased had not taken out his autorickshaw for more than a fortnight in the wake of the coronavirus threat and absence of passengers on the streets," the report stated. Unable to contribute to the income of the family, he took his own life.

Many across the country also lost their lives from fear of getting infected, most of them suicides.

In Uttar Pradesh, a young man who had been suffering from fever and cough, committed suicide on March 24 by hanging himself because he feared that he was suffering from Coronavirus.

"This is the third case of suicide in Uttar Pradesh due to the Corona scare.

In two separate incidents, two youths had committed suicide in Hapur and Bareilly over the weekend because they believed that they were suffering from the deadly virus," another report stated.

Death due to police brutality is not a new concept in the country and during this pandemic, this has caused 10 deaths.

A 32-year-old man in Howrah, West Bengal went out to buy milk during the lockdown and was beaten up by the police. He later passed away after the thrashing.

A news report stated, "his wife alleged that he faced police lathicharge when the personnel were clearing a gathering on the streets."

Meanwhile, road or train accidents due to walking or migration has resulted in 38 deaths in the country and death due to crime associated with lockdown (not communal) is 10 and unclassified deaths stand at 36.