Harsh Vardhan orders inquiry into death of journalist who jumped off AIIMS building

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday expressed condolences over the death of a journalist, who jumped off the fourth floor of AIIMS Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center (JPNATC) on Monday, and ordered an inquiry into the incident.

"Deeply shocked & saddened by the death of young journalist Shri Tarun Sisodia ji. It was a most unfortunate incident. I have no words to express my grief. My condolences to his whole family, esp his wife & young children. May God give them the strength to bear this irreparable loss," Harsh Vardhan tweeted.

"I ordered AIIMS Director to immediately constitute an official inquiry into this incident, following which a high-level committee has been set up & shall submit its report within 48 hours," he said in another tweet.

"The inquiry committee consists of Chief of Neuroscience Centre, Prof Padma, Head of Psychiatry Dept Prof RK Chaddha, Dy Dir(Admn) Sh Panda & Head, Physical Medicine & Rehab Dr U Singh. My deep condolences to media community that is shaken by the tragic loss of an esteemed colleague," the minister tweeted.

The 37-year-old journalist, who was admitted to JPNATC on June 24 with COVID-19, was making significant recovery from his COVID symptoms, an official release by AIIMS said.

It said the "he was stable on room air today" and was to be shifted to general ward from the ICU.

The journalist, who worked for a Hindi daily, had undergone surgery for frontal lobe meningioma (a type of brain tumour) at GB Pant Hospital New Delhi in March this year.

"While he was in JPNATC for treatment of COVID-19, he was having bouts of disorientation for which he was seen by neurologist and psychiatrist and put on medication," the release said, adding that the family members were regularly counselled regarding his condition.

AIIMS said that at around 1.55 pm today he ran out of TC-1 where he was admitted and hospital attendants ran after him and tried to stop him.

"He ran to the fourth floor where he broke a windowpane and jumped out. He was immediately moved to the ICU in the trauma centre in an ambulance. He later succumbed to his injuries at 3.35 pm on July 6, 2020," the release said.

( With inputs from ANI )