Urdu poet Rahat Indori dies due to heart attack after testing positive for COVID-19

Noted poet and lyricist Rahat Indori on Tuesday passed away hours after he revealed his COVID-19 diagnosis. The 70-year old was being treated in the ICU of a hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city after testing positive for coronavirus.

"After initial symptoms of COVID-19, my corona test was done yesterday which came out positive. Pray that I defeat this disease as soon as possible," Indori, 70, tweeted on Tuesday.

He was undergoing treatment in Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences, where the chest department head Dr Ravi Dosi told PTI that the poet has pneumonia and is being given oxygen. Indori's son said his father is suffering from chronic ailments like heart disease and diabetes.

The Defense Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, and Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, took to their Twitter handles to mourn his death. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed his grief at Indori's demise.

(with PTI inputs)