Chandigarh: Trader loses 2 sons to Covid

Chandigarh, May 26

As the UT fights a deadly second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, grief has gripped the family of a trader here. Within a fortnight, JPS Kalra, general secretary, Chandigarh Traders’ Association, Sector 17, has lost both his sons to the virus.

Harpal Singh (42) and Sarabjit Singh (38), sons of Kalra, who is in his seventies, succumbed when they were recovering from the disease, said a family friend of Kalra.

Still in a state of shock, Kalra, who lost his elder son on May 9, got the bad news on May 23 that the pandemic had claimed the life of his second son too.

Harpal is survived by two daughters and wife, while Sarabjit is survived by wife, a son and a daughter. Both graduated from SD College in Sector 32, Harpal had a printing business, while Sarabjit was helping his father at their shop in Sector 17.

The family friend said the entire Kalra family had contracted the virus last month.

Other family members recuperated at home, while Kalra and his sons were admitted to private hospitals.

Kalra was discharged on May 6, but Harpal passed away on May 9. Kalra’s second son, who was admitted to a hospital in Mohali, did not respond to the treatment even after testing negative a day before his death. He died at another private hospital where he was taken for a second opinion, said the friend.

Meanwhile, sources said the private hospital in Mohali where Sarabjit was undergoing treatment initially had handed over a bill of over Rs20 lakh.