Patna: Senior journalist from Keonjhar district Dhirendra Kumar Rout succumbed to COVID-19 Sunday. He was 62.
Rout, a resident of Keonjhar town, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at a Cuttack based private hospital.
Fondly called ‘Kandiri bhai’, Rout was well-known as an organiser apart from being a journalist. He was one of the founder members of Cassandra Cultural Centre and started a theatre festival in the district.
Rout was taken ill few days back. He tested positive for COVID-19 following which he was hospitalised in Bhubaneswar and was released several days after that. However, he complained of lungs related ailments.
The veteran journalist fell ill for the second time and was admitted to a hospital in Cuttack. He breathed his last Sunday morning while under treatment.
Journalists from Keonjhar district have urged the state government to give family members of the deceased Rs15,00,000 as ‘corona warrior assistance’ as committed by the Chief Minister earlier.
PNN
