'I Might Be Murdered': Delhi Journalist's WhatsApp Message Before Dying By 'Suicide'

On Monday afternoon, July 6, 37-year-old journalist Tarun Sisodia reportedly committed suicide by jumping off the fourth floor of the COVID-19 ward of AIIMS, Delhi. He was rushed to the intensive care unit (ICU) in a critical state. Hours later, he succumbed to his injuries.

The series of events took a sinister turn upon discovery that before he died, Sisodia posted a message on a WhatsApp group of Delhi-based journalists, saying that he might be murdered.

Sisodia was a resident of northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura and worked with a Hindi daily.

It is being speculated that negligence by the hospital during his treatment was flagged by him. His complaints reportedly even reached the ministry of health, which later asked the hospital to submit a report.

Following these events, the hospital decided to shift him to the ICU to ensure he does not complain any further about the negligence. His phone was taken away from him.

AIIMS, however, in its statement over Sisodia's death, claimed that he was "having bouts of disorientation". They further claimed that Sisodia was consequently seen by a neurologist and psychiatrist and put on medication.

The screenshot of the WhatsApp chat, meanwhile, is doing rounds on social media, claiming that the journalist had feared that he might be murdered.

"Mr Tarun Sisodia, 37, was admitted to JPNATC on June 24 with Covid-19. He was making significant recovery from his COVID-19 symptoms. He was stable on room air today and was planned for shifting to general ward from the ICU," India Today quoted AIIMS as saying in a statement on Monday, July 6.

"While he was in JPNATC for treatment of COVID-19, he was having bouts of disorientation for which he was seen by a neurologist and psychiatrist and put on medication. The family members were regularly counseled regarding his condition," AIIMS said.

"Tarun ran out of his room on Monday afternoon. Attendants ran after him and tried to stop him but he ran to the fourth floor where he broke the windowpane and jumped put," the hospital added.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has set up an inquiry into the alleged suicide, and the report is supposed to be submitted within 48 hours.

This inquiry is an internal one, with committee members from within AIIMS itself. The inquiry committee consists of Chief of Neuroscience Centre Prof Padma, Head of Psychiatry Dept Prof RK Chaddha, Deputy Director (Admin) SH Panda and Head of Physical Medicine and Rehab Dr U Singh.

"Deeply shocked & saddened by the death of young journalist Shri Tarun Sisodia ji. It was a most unfortunate incident. I have no words to express my grief. My condolences to his whole family, esp his wife & young children May God give them the strength to bear this irreparable loss," Harsh Vardhan said in a tweet.

"I ordered AIIMS Director to immediately constitute an official inquiry into this incident, following which a high-level committee has been set up & shall submit its report within 48 hours," the union minister added.

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