Man Found Dead At Bihar Quarantine Centre 2 Days After Return From Jeddah

A 30-year-old man who had recently returned from abroad on a repatriation flight under the Vande Bharat Mission was on Friday found dead at the quarantine facility where he was lodged upon arrival, police said.

The man, Vicky, was a resident of Gopalganj district in the state. He was lodged at the Nigama monastery in Bodh Gaya since his return from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on June 3, Senior Superintendent of Police (Gaya) Rajiv Mishra said.

"The man died after falling from the roof of the monastery, which had been converted into a quarantine centre. Preliminary investigations suggest that he was in a state of mental distress and committed suicide," the police officer said.

The officer said before the incident, family members of the man had visited him and when they left, Vicky was desperate to go home, which is about 200 km away.

Stranded Indians, brought back as part of the Vande Bharat Mission, have to undergo a mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine before they are allowed to go home.

Officials in the district administration said TrueNat test reports of Vicky were negative for coronavirus, a reason why his sample was not sent for a more detailed examination to ascertain his coronavirus status.

Taking a serious note of the incident, Divisional Commissioner of Gaya, Asangaba Chuba AO has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged suicide, officials said.