Hospital transport bus driver found dead; suspected of suicide in fear of corona

The wife of a bus driver of Sri Lanka who was found dead near his house yesterday (Nov 08) said that her husband might have committed suicide by hanging himself due to fear of coronavirus.  

The driver of state-owned Sri Lanka Transport Board transported hospital staff to Nagoda General Hospital of Kalutara during the curfew in the past week. The wife said that he had been in trauma after one person who travelled on the bus had been positive for COVID-19. 

"He was in fear that he would contact the virus and often talked about it," the wife of the deceased said.

The dead man is a 56 years old resident of Yatiyana, Agalawatta. 

Editorial opinion:

Contact tracing and other measures of Sri Lankan military, police and public health officials covered by media cause mental stress among some people and a more sensitive approach is required. Government has already changed policies regarding quarantine and all associates are self-quarantined at home now. However, the draconian actions previously followed are fixed in the minds of the people. Health authorities must attend to this issue immediately.   

Call 1926 from any telephone for help when anyone needs mental health support. It is the toll-free National Mental Health Helpline of the Ministry of Health.  

The story behind the '22nd COVID-19 death' in Sri Lanka

The 22nd COVID-19 death of Sri Lanka was diagnosed after a PCR test conducted posthumously. The 27-year-old man was found hanging from the roof of his house in the early hours of Saturday, October 31. The man was dead when he was admitted to Panadura hospital. The PCR test conducted after his death was found positive later. 

The youth is suspected addicted to drugs. He lived in Wekada village in Panadura. People who gathered in his house after he was found committed suicide are considered associates and PCR tests are to be conducted. 

The deceased showed no specific symptoms of COVID-19, the family says. No COVID-19 positive persons were reported in the village previously. 

Help people who want psycho-social support:

- National Mental Health Helpline 1926

- Sumithrayo: +94 11 2 682535/+94 11 2 682570 

- CCCline: 1333 (toll free)

Sri Lanka's Swarnavahini TV needed to be brought to book for assisting a Buddhist monk to attempt self-immolation

Sri Lanka's Swarnawahini TV videoed all from beginning to the end of the self-immolation attempt of a Buddhist monk near the entrance of the Buddhist Temple of Tooth of Kandy where a relic tooth of Lord Buddha is placed for worship.

The TV crew seemed of being well aware of the crime the Buddhist monk was about to commit but did not do anything to prevent it, a clear legal offense by a citizen.

The monk Bowatte Indrarathana who was earlier a Jathika Hala Urumaya (JHU) local government member of Pelmadulla Pradeshiya Sabha who lost the position due to absence. He has been an activist of other Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist movements like Sinhala Ravaya.

The monk seems an honest kind of racist. Definitely a victim of the vicious campaigns of the opportunist racist campaigns. 90% burnt, the 31 year old monk may suffer throughout his entire life mentally, if not physically but we have no other option than to wish he will live. 

Update: The monk passed away in the evening of May 25.