Death of Covid-19-positive migrant worker at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital ruled a suicide

• State coroner says “extremely difficult” to assess suicide risk in case of migrant worker’s death
• Alagu Periyakarrupan did not demonstrate behaviour that suggested suicide intent, she added
• “Speculative” to say that the outcome would have been different if he did not have hook to dismantle a window pane
• Nephew felt something was amiss over a phone conversation with him

SINGAPORE — The death of Covid-19-positive migrant worker Alagu Periyakarrupan, who fell from a gap in a window at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in April, was ruled a deliberate act of suicide on Friday (Sept 25). 

Giving her findings following an inquiry into the 46-year-old construction worker’s death, State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam said that there is no basis to suspect foul play based on the evidence uncovered.

“I am satisfied that Mr Alagu’s death was a deliberate act of suicide. I also acknowledge that assessment of suicide risk is extremely difficult,” she said.

“In this instance, Mr Alagu did not demonstrate behaviour that suggested suicidal intent.”

Police investigations concluded that Alagu likely used a silver metal hook, which was later found in his bedside drawer, to dismantle a glass window pane in order to slide out from an enlarged gap.

While questions arose on whether the outcome would have been different if the hook was not available to him, State Coroner Kamala said that it might have made it more difficult for him to make the suicide attempt, but it would be “speculation” to say that the outcome would be different.

The court heard that Alagu had only verbalised some concerns about his finances and family to a doctor at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital who was able to converse with him in Tamil, and the doctor reassured him about his recovery from the coronavirus.

Otherwise, nurses attending to him did not detect any unusual behaviour, describing him as quiet, pleasant and helpful. 

COVERED HIS HEAD UNDER A BLANKET 

On April 23, Alagu pressed the call bell at his bed at 1.39am, hours before his death.

When a nurse attended to him, he simply covered himself with a blanket and did not say anything. The nurse thought that he had pressed the bell by mistake.

At 2.45am, another nurse checked on the ward, which he shared with another Bengali-speaking patient. He was again seen to have his head covered under the blanket. 

The nurse observed that he was using his mobile phone under it. 

The court heard previously that he had recorded two videos hours later, at 5.24am and 5.26am, expressing a wish to end his life.

In one of the videos, he was heard saying in Tamil: “Doctors are saying that I have coronavirus, therefore I do not wish to stay alive. I am ready to lose my life. Nobody or nothing has anything to do with this. I have recorded this with a sober mind.”

At about 6.15am, a nurse heard a thud from his cubicle. 

Alagu was later found motionless at a third-floor staircase landing. He died of multiple injuries consistent with those resulting from a fall from height. 

In its investigations, a hospital committee found that there were no lapses in its clinical care towards Alagu. Dr Goh Kah Hong, the head of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry who chairs the committee, said that Alagu’s death was “not predictable or preventable”.

TOLD NEPHEW TO TAKE CARE OF FAMILY

While he had revealed little about his frame of mind, the court heard that Alagu’s nephew, Mr Veerappan Meenakshi Sundaram, had an unusual conversation with him over the phone on April 21, two days after he was confirmed to have Covid-19.

Mr Veerappan, who worked for the same employer and lived in the same dormitory as his uncle, was told that he would have to take care of Alagu’s immediate family as well as his own family.

Alagu also told Mr Veerappan to provide a good education for Mr Veerappan’s brother.

The nephew felt something was amiss because Alagu had not spoken in such a manner before, but when he tried to probe further, Alagu did not disclose anything more.

Mr Veerappan then assured him that everything would be all right and that he would recover soon.