COVID 19 scare drives Arunachal disaster management officer to end her life

A district official in Arunachal Pradesh allegedly committed suicide at her residence here on Friday, and family members said that she was struggling to cope with "work overload" amid the COVID-19 crisis and feared she might contract the disease.

Tsering Youngzom (38), a disaster management officer at Papum Pare, left an "unfinished" resignation letter addressed to the district deputy commissioner, before hanging herself in the bathroom, Capital Superintendent of Police (SP) Tumme Amo said.

The letter was found lying on a table in her room, the SP said.

Family members claimed that workload and tension arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic had taken a toll on her physical and mental health. According to the SP, Youngzom shared her residence with 10 other family members, including son and mother-in- law. Her husband, also a government official, lives at Kalaktang in West Kameng district.

"Initial investigation suggests that it is a case of suicide. No foul play was involved... She shared her room with her nine-year-old son, but slept on the floor. She feared that she might contract the disease during the course of her work," Amo said.

A post-mortem examination will be done and investigation is on, Amo said.

Image Credits: ANI