Man undergoing rabies treatment dies by suicide in Madurai

Madurai: A 25-year-old man who was admitted to Govt Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai for treatment of rabies after being bitten by their pet cat, died by suicide on Saturday.

According to police, the deceased was identified as Balamurugan, of Avaniyapuram in Madurai. Several days ago, Balamurugan was reportedly bitten by his pet cat. However, he went without taking any medical care. Later, the wound was found to be infected, and his family members also noticed he was unable to eat food or drink water. He was first taken to a private hospital before being referred to GRH for further treatment.

Balamurugan was admitted to the isolation ward for treating rabies based on his symptoms. He reportedly tried to escape from the room on Friday night but was caught and kept in isolation due to the nature of the disease. Police said that the man, in an agitated state and in pain, died by suicide by hanging himself with a bedsheet in the early hours of Saturday.

The GRH police registered a case of suspicious death and were investigating.

Anyone suspecting they have been bitten by a rabies-infected animal should immediately get vaccinated with the anti-rabies vaccine at their nearest available govt hospital or primary health centre, according to health officials.