Now Reading: Over 195 lockdown deaths linked to hunger, suicide, accidents: report
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Over 195 lockdown deaths linked to hunger, suicide, accidents: report
A review of media reports has documented at least 195 deaths in India during the coronavirus lockdown, with causes ranging from starvation and exhaustion to suicide and accidents. The analysis, cited by…
A review of media reports has documented at least 195 deaths in India during the coronavirus lockdown, with causes ranging from starvation and exhaustion to suicide and accidents. The analysis, cited by Gulf News, found 53 deaths were due to exhaustion, hunger, denial of medical care, or suicides driven by lack of food or livelihood.
At least 35 migrant workers were killed in road accidents while walking home. Seven people died in vigilante attacks over lockdown violations, and 40 deaths were linked to the closure of alcohol stores. Another 39 suicides were attributed to fear of infection or quarantine-related distress. The government has not yet issued an official tally of such deaths.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The scale of distress during the lockdown exposed gaps in the government's relief machinery, particularly for migrant workers who form the backbone of urban informal labour. India's lockdown, one of the world's strictest, was imposed with just four hours' notice on March 24, 2020, leaving millions stranded without income or transport. The Supreme Court later took suo motu cognisance of migrant deaths and ordered free food and transport. The government argued the lockdown saved lives by slowing virus spread, but these figures highlight the trade-off. The National Human Rights Commission sought a report on these deaths in April 2020, though a comprehensive official count remains pending.
Source: gulfnews.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
