Another teacher in Telangana dies of Covid-19 during poll duty, husband blames state govt

As the second wave of Covid-19 sweeps across India, another teacher in Telangana succumbed to the virus while she was on poll duty during a by-election last month.

G Sandhya Rani, who was on a duty during the by-polls for the Nagarjuna Sagar seat on April 17, died on May 8 after battling the virus in ICU.

According to the Telangana State United Teachers Federation, with Sandhya's death, the toll of teachers who succumbed to COVID-19 after election duty during the Nagarjuna Sagar by-polls has reached 15.

"My wife Sandhya was working as a secondary grade teacher. She was tested positive for coronavirus after she was deputed to Nagarjuna Sagar by-polls. After her official duties on April 17 she contracted the virus and tested positive on April 27," said K Mohan Rao, the victim's husband.

The 34-year-old was shifted to Hyderabad from Nalgonda for better treatment but could not survive the virus.

"Hadn't the government conducted these polls, my wife would have been alive today. Only because of these elections, I have lost my wife. Now, who will serve justice to me?," asked Sandhya's husband.

The issue of polling staffers contracting coronavirus is heating up in Telangana. Even Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao was tested positive for Covid-19 after the polls.

Till now, around 15 teachers, who were on poll duty for the by-election on April 16, have died and several others have been tested positive, the Telangana State United Teachers Federation had said.

The Telangana High Court, hearing a suo moto plea, had said that it is criminal negligence on the part of the state that at least 15 teachers died and hundreds of them tested positive during the poll duty.

The by-poll for the constituency was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Nomula Narsimhaiah. The TRS, which fielded Nomula Bagath opposite Congress senior leader K Jana Reddy, emerged victorious in the poll.

( With inputs from ANI )

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