Sources say some other agents also tested positive in Kolkata (File)
Kolkata:
An Indian army brigadier died on Thursday in Calcutta of complications linked to a coronavirus infection. Posted in Eastern Command, he would be the highest ranking member of the Indian army to have lost his life because of the virus.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended his condolences to his family. The Interior Ministry of the West Bengal government tweeted: “The Honorable Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and GOWB express their deep condolences for the untimely death of Brigadier Vikas Samyal …… who succumbed to Covid19 today now at Command Hospital Kolkata. “
The Honorable Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and GOWB express their deep condolences for the untimely death of Brigadier Vikas Samyal, an Indian Army brigadier assigned to Eastern Command in Kolkata who died at Covid-19 today in hospital Command, Kolkata.
– DEPARTMENT OF THE HOUSE – GOVT. WEST BENGAL (@HomeBengal) July 2, 2020
The officer had been admitted to the COVID-19 designated military hospital, Barrackpore Military Hospital, where he had tested positive for the virus. But after complications developed, he was transferred to Command Hospital in Kolkata.
According to sources, two other police officers also tested positive in Calcutta.
The death of the sergeant comes on a day when a senior Bengal government official tested positive at the Nabanna State Secretariat and the ICMR wing chief in Kolkata, NICED, was admitted to a private hospital with COVID complications.
In the past 24 hours, Bengal has reported 649 cases, including 218 in Kolkata. The neighboring districts, North and South 24 Parganas, also reported peaks of 162 and 58 new cases respectively. 16 people died during this time, bringing the total to 699.
