Chennai: A senior videographer of a Tamil news channel died of COVID-19 at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) in Chennai on Saturday. He was admitted in the hospital with coronavirus symptoms on June 14.
News of the death of 41-year-old E Velmurugan, the first COVID-19 death in the Tamil Nadu media fraternity, was received with sorrow by his fellow journalists, and was mourned by several political personalities including chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and DMK president M K Stalin.
The chief minister announced a solatium of Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the family of Velmuugan, who leaves behind his wife, Shanmugasundari, and an 11-year-old-son, Jeeva.
Three other ministers, C Vijayabhaskar (health), D Jayakumar (fisheries) and Kadambur C Raju (information and publicity) said they would give Rs 50,000 each from out of their pockets to the family. Shanmugasundari's job as a contract nurse at RGGGH, was made permanent by the government.
Earlier in the day, the Chennai Press Club mourned the death of Velmurugan.
Journalists and friends of Velmurugam paid tribute on social media to the senior videographer, a veteran of more than two decades. Many of them recalled their association with him.
