Kejriwal hands over Rs 1 cr cheque to family of LNJP doctor who died battling COVID-19

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday met the family members of doctor Aseem Gupta who died fighting COVID-19 and handed over a cheque of Rs 1 crore as an ex-gratia to them.

The chief minister termed late Gupta as a "people's doctor' and said it was a duty of the government to support the families of those people who sacrificed their lives for others.

"Met with the family of Late Dr Aseem Gupta ji who lost his life to Corona. We cannot do anything to bring back the "People's Doctor", but it is our duty to support families of those who lay down their lives for us. An ex-gratia of ₹1 crore was given to the family today," Kejriwal tweeted.

The ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore is being given by the Delhi government to all its employees who succumb to coronavirus while discharging their duties as frontline warriors in the fight against the pandemic.

Gupta, a consultant anaesthesiologist at the state-run LNJP hospital, had contracted COVID-19 while on duty. He tested positive on June 6 when he had mild symptoms and was shifted to a quarantine facility.  His symptoms aggravated on June 7 and he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the LNJP hospital. Later he succumbed to the virus at Max Smart Hospital in Saket in south Delhi.

The 52-year-old doctor was remembered for going out of his way to serve his patients.

Image credit: ANI