Delhi: Journalist recovering from COVID-19 jumps to death at AIIMS

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 6

A health journalist recovering from COVID-19 on Monday jumped to his death from the fourth floor at AIIMS New Delhi, causing a huge furore in media circles.

Tarun Sisodiya, 37, was admitted to AIIMS for COVID symptoms on June 24.

In a statement issued on Monday, AIIMS New Delhi’s media in-charge Aarti Vij said Sisodiya was recovering from COVID-19. He was not on oxygen support, and was going to be moved from the ICU to general ward on Monday.

AIIMS statement also pointed to a March 2020 surgery for a type of brain tumour which Sisodiya underwent at GB Pant hospital.

“While he was on treatment for COVID at AIIMS he was having bouts of disorientation for which he was seen by a neurologist and a psychiatrist and put on medication. His family was regularly counselled on his condition. At 1.55 pm today Tarun Sisodiya ran out of Trauma Centre 1 where he was admitted. Hospital attendants ran after him and tried to stop him. Mr Tarun ran to fourth floor where he broke a window pane and jumped out,” AIIMS media in charge said.

Hospital’s attempts to resuscitate the victim failed leading to his death.

In a strange series of events Sisodiya had in certain Whatsapp groups suspected “murder” and sought help from colleagues. His Whatsapp chat flooded the social media handles after his death, with many journalists seeking an FIR. Several journalists even took to Twitter demanding a thorough enquiry into the incident.