Man returns home after cremating son to find body of second as Noida village sees 18 deaths in 14 days

NOIDA: As India battles a devastating second wave of Covid-19, heart-breaking stories of loss and grief have been coming in. One such instance has been reported from Jalalpur village in Greater Noida West as the deadly disease spreads its tentacles in rural areas.

Within a matter of hours, Atar Singh saw his world being turned upside down as the raging coronavirus pandemic claimed the lives of his two sons in a day.

A devastated Atar Singh, who lost his son Pankaj on Tuesday, along with grieving relatives, left for the last rites. He had not even come to terms with the loss of his child when he found upon his return from the cremation site that his other son Deepak had also passed away.

Having lost her children, Atar Singh’s wife is inconsolable. Within a span of 24 hours, these old parents had to cremate their two sons.

It is not yet clear if the two men had been tested for coronavirus.

Great Noida West villagers told India Today that in the last few days, at least 18 people, including six women, have died. They said the first death was reported in the village on April 28 when one Rishi Singh died, followed by his son.

According to these villagers, all those who died first had a fever, and then their oxygen level kept dipping. The recent deaths over the few days have caused fear and panic among villagers of Greater Noida West.