COLOMBO – A post-mortem examination of the remains of the 36-year-old man with special needs who allegedly took his own life when his mother was hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms, will be performed on Monday (2) to determine whether he had contracted the virus.
The son allegedly committed suicide in Homagama on Saturday (Oct 31). The Police Media Division said the autopsy will be carried out at the Mulleriyawa hospital.
In case the remains test positive for the novel coronavirus, it will be disposed of under the pandemic regulations, and if found otherwise, the body will be released to his brother, the police said.
The neighbours have blamed the area Public Health Inspector (PHI) for the tragic death saying he failed to take proper actions to ensure the well-being of the differently-abled man.
Responding to the accusations, President of the PHI Union, Upul Rohana, laid the blame on the younger sibling of the deceased, who had at first agreed to take care of his brother, but pulled back at the last moment due to fear of contracting the virus.
Rohana said on Friday (Oct 30) the residents in the area had complained to the local PHI that the man’s mother had gone to the Peliyagoda fish market and was “walking around the area with COVID symptoms.”
Subsequently the PHI had visited the house, and after verifying the story had sent the woman to hospital through the Suwa Seriya ambulance service.
Rohana said the immediate neighbours had informed the PHI about the son with special needs, and later the woman had told the PHI her younger son, who is in Galle would be able to look after his brother.
However, the younger son, who changed his mind after all arrangements had been made to facilitate his arrival in Colombo, had asked a neighbour to look after the older sibling.
Rohana said the PHI had set a table in front of the house and asked the neighbours to leave food on the table as the house was quarantined.
He placed the blame of the younger sibling for shirking his responsibility at the last moment, and claimed the PHI couldn’t send the differently-abled man to a hospital as they would not accept him, and there was nothing they could do for him. He also maintained the PHI of the area has to attend to other cases as seven more COVID-19 positive cases were reported in the same area on the paricular day.
However, the neighbours said PHI should take responsibility for the death as he did not take any proper action for the well-being of the person with special needs.
One of the residents said he had pasted the self-quarantine notice on the door of the house as the PHI was afraid to do it.
-economynext.com