Coronavirus: New Delhi mayor writes to CM seeking ‘COVID Warrior’ status for deceased journalist

In his letter, mayor Jai Prakash has also urged to grant an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore to Tarun Sisodia's family, his office said in a statement.  

New Delhi: North Delhi Mayor Jai Prakash on Monday wrote to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking a 'COVID Warrior' status for a Hindi daily journalist who had died after allegedly jumping off the fourth floor of a hospital building here a week ago.

In his letter, Prakash has also urged to grant ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore to Tarun Sisodia's family, his office said in a statement.

"The journalist died fighting corona and should be accorded the status of a 'Corona Warrior'," he said in the letter.

The 37-year-old journalist, who was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at the AIIMS Trauma Centre, died after allegedly jumping off the fourth floor of the hospital building on July 6, officials said.

Earlier, his wife had also sought a 'COVID Warrior' status for her late husband.

Sisodia worked for a Hindi daily and lived with his wife and two children in northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura.

Following the incident, Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had asked the AIIMS director to set a panel to probe the matter.

A family member of Sisodia, who did not wish to be named, had earlier said, "He was a very strong person, mentally, and I cannot believe he could take such an extreme step."

Sisodia is survived by his father, mother, elder brother, wife, and two little daughters, aged two-and-a-half years and three months.