Vice President Venkaiah Naidu condoles demise of COVID-19 warrior Aarif Khan

Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu has expressed condolences to the family members of COVID-19 warrior Aarif Khan who succumbed to the virus on October 10. The vice president took to Twitter to pray for eternal peace for the departed soul who ferried countless patients and carried 200 dead bodies too for their last rites.

"My condolences to the bereaved family members of ambulance driver, Aarif Khan of Delhi. He rendered selfless service by ferrying close to 200 bodies of COVID-19 patients for their last rites. It is saddening to learn that he succumbed to Coronavirus," Naidu tweeted. 

"His acts of kindness symbolise the core of Indian philosophy of ‘share & care’. May his soul rest in eternal peace," he added in another tweet.

Reports stated that the ambulance driver was working with Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal which provided free emergency services in Delhi-NCR region. Khan had fallen sick in October and thereafter died due to the disease at the Hindu Rao Hospital in Delhi. During the course of his service, he had ferried numerous COVID-19 patients to hospitals for treatment during the peak period of COVID-19 and had also carried close to 200 bodies for their last rites. Reportedly, he was the sole earning member of the family.

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Naidu under home isolation

Naidu said that the death of the selfless COVID-19 warrior is a loss to society.

The vice president had himself tested positive for COVID-19 on September 29 after undergoing a routine COVID-19 test. Since then, he has been under home isolation and is said to be asymptomatic. His wife Usha Naidu despite testing negative has gone under self-isolation.

COVID-19 has infected several union ministers including Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Shripad Naik, Dharmendra Pradhan, Kailash Choudhary, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Shekhawat and Suresh Angadi. Unfortunately, Suresh Angadi passed away due to the virus infection on September 23. 

(With ANI inputs. Image: PTI)

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