LUDHIANA: A family in Jagraon that lost three members to Covid has a message for people: take maximum precautions, for this virus is serious.
After witnessing the tragedy, the family members moved to a house in neighbourhood to avoid falling prey to the disease.
Those who died of Covid included 67-year-old Nirmal Singh, who ran a utensils’ shop near Kamal Chowk, 36-year-old Balwinder Singh, who was the youngest of the three sons of Nirmal and ran a tyre shop in Rumi village, and Nirmal’s daughter-in-law Manpreet Kaur (wife of his son Harwinder Singh).
Nirmal died on May 20 at a private hospital in Jagraon, his son died two days prior on May 18 at home and his daughter-in-law on May 16 at a private hospital in Ludhiana.
“We don’t know how our family members contracted the disease, but they died in quick succession.
It is shocking to lose three of my family suddenly.
After we came to know that they had Covid, we vacated the house, got it sanitised and shifted to a vacant house.
All our family members later got themselves tested twice, but no one was positive.
No one from the government came to see us,” said Kulwinder Singh, son of Nirmal Singh and elder brother of Balwinder.
“Even now we don’t meet people and those whom we meet we advise them to take extra care as Covid is a serious disease,” he added.
Manpreet Singh, nephew of Nirmal Singh, said, “Balwinder, who was unmarried, was obese and had breathing problem.
Others didn’t have major health issues.
The loss of my uncle is a big one.
Manpreet Kaur leaves behind a two-month-old son and two daughters aged five and seven.
After this traumatising experience, the family refused to leave home.
The government should communicate with them and help them.” Social groups also demand that the government should compensate such families.
“The government should help families that have lost their members to Covid.
It is devastating for them,” said Sanjeev Kumar Bansal, secretary of a social organization.