Coronavirus Outbreak: Ludhiana ACP Anil Kohli dies due to COVID-19; official was to receive plasma therapy

Ludhiana’s Assistant Commissioner of Police Anil Kohli died due to the novel coronavirus at a hospital in Ludhiana on Saturday.

Sad News
ACP Anil Kohli passed away.
Died of #COVIDー19 . Was admitted in SPS Hospital Ludhiana

— DPRO LUDHIANA (@LudhianaDpro) April 18, 2020

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh expressed his condolences and said that the demise of the “corona warrior” was a loss to the state.

Sad to share that we had lost Gurmail Singh Kanungo yesterday & ACP Anil Kohli in Ludhiana to #Covid19 today. In this moment of crisis, losing our Corona Warriors is a big loss for the State. I join their families in this time of grief. Rest assured Punjab will stand by them.

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) April 18, 2020

The chief minister also announced that the government will pay Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia to the police officer’s family. The state government will pay Rs 50 lakh to the next of kin of all officials who die in the line of duty, he added.

Deeply saddened to lose two of my officials to #Covid19. Have decided to pay Rs. 50 lakhs ex-gratia to their next to kin. While I pray such an incident shouldn't happen, but if it does, State Govt will pay Rs. 50 lakhs to NoK of officials who die in line of duty due to #Covid19.

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) April 18, 2020

ACP Kohli had tested positive for COVID-19 on 13 April and had been undergoing treatment in the Satguru Partap Singh (SPS) Hospital in Ludhiana, said a report in the Hindustan Times .

According to the report, Kohli’s wife, driver and three other officials who were in contact with him have also tested positive for the virus.

On Friday, the Punjab government had given its go-ahead to the hospital to conduct plasma therapy on the police officer. However, his condition began to deteriorate and he died of multiple organ failure before the therapy could be administered, said the report.

With inputs from PTI