Lockdown blues: Odisha migrant worker ends life in Haryana, another tries to commit suicide in UP

Kendrapara: Unable to return home due to the nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus, a distressed migrant worker from Odisha's Kendrapara district has allegedly committed suicide in Haryana, an official said here on Wednesday.

The official confirmed the death of the 40-year-old migrant, who was working in a plywood manufacturing company at Yamuna Nagar in the northern state.

The man was stated to be depressed due to loss of livelihood and his inability to return home and his body was found hanging from a tree near where he stayed, the official said.

"We have been informed about the migrant worker having committed suicide in Haryana. The administration has taken up the matter with Haryana counterparts," said Kendrapara district collector Samarth Verma.

Rs 10,000 ex-gratia compensation has been paid to the widow of the man, he said.

"My husband told me over the telephone on Monday that he had no money to pay his room rent. He was quite depressed as he also could not arrange money to reach home," said his widow, who is a native of Bajapur village under Rajkanika block in the district.

Meanwhile, A 25-year-old labourer tried to commit suicide in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday after he ran out of money and had nothing to eat, police said.

Deepu Patel, who lost his job following lockdown, started walking towards his home in Bihar from Pune, they said.

Patel, a resident of Sivan district in Bihar, says he left his workplace in Pune with Rs 1,300.

He got a lift and somehow reached Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, and by this time, he had exhausted all his money, police said.

With no money or food to eat, he went to Nausad bus station here and climbed to the third floor of a house in front of the station.

He then tried to hang himself with his 'Gamcha' (scarf), but people noticed him and informed the police.

Sub Inspector of Nausad police post, Bhupendra Tiwari and other policemen reached the spot and pacified him.

They also gave him food and Rs 1,500, an official said.

SP (North) Arvind Pandey said Patel will be sent to a shelter home and if he is found coronavirus-infected, he will be quarantined.