Mumbai: Husband critical with Covid-19, wife kills herself

Swati D’Silva

A 35-year-old woman killed herself at home on Tuesday in Vasai, after being told that her husband, who is undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at a hospital, was critical. The deceased was identified as Swati Vivek D'Silva, a resident of Merces village. The Vasai police have registered an Accidental Death Report and are investigating the matter.

A local social worker said Swati had also tested positive but had been discharged from hospital after testing negative. Her mother-in-law has also been admitted to a hospital while her father-in-law is at an isolation centre due to Covid-19. The police found a suicide note. Her husband, Vivek, is undergoing treatment at Cardinal Gracias hospital at Vasai West.

According to the police, Swati was a house wife and Vivek ran an electronics repairing shop. Speaking to mid-day, Leroy Collaco, an advocate and local social worker said, "Vivek and his entire family including his wife, Swati, and parents tested positive for Covid-19 on July 17. Later they were admitted to Cardinal Gracias hospital at Vasai West. Few days back Swati tested negative and was discharged. On Tuesday morning Swati received a call from the hospital asking her to go there urgently."

"Doctors told her Vivek's condition is critical and oxygen level was going down. Due to this they had to keep him on ventilator. Swati signed a permission letter at the hospital to keep Vivek on ventilator. But she was in depression. When she returned home she wrote a suicide note and hanged herself from the ceiling fan," he added.

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Police speak

Senior Inspector Kalyanrao Karpe of Vasai police station said, "In the suicide note Swati wrote that she loves her husband a lot and couldn't live without him. Due to his critical condition she was ending her life and nobody is responsible for her death. The suicide note is in Marathi." Swati and Vivek had a love marriage a few years back. The police said due to the lockdown Vivek's work had stopped and they were in a financial crisis.