In a tragedy that befell a joint family at Pimpri near Pune, three brothers out of the 18 members in the family, all of whom had tested positive for Covid-19 early this month, succumbed to the pandemic in a span of nine days.
The three deceased brothers – identified as Popatrao Kalapure (66), Dyneshwar Kalapure (63) and Diliprao Kalapure (61) –were undergoing treatment at a private hospital for the past 15 days.
The Kalapure family members live together at Pimpri which is a constituent of the twin Pimpri-Chinchwad satellite city near Pune.
Of the family members, one tested positive on July 5, after which all members underwent Covid-19 tests in which the remaining 17 of them were diagnosed positive for Coronavirus. All of them were subsequently admitted to a local private hospital. +Fifteen of them – who had mild symptoms of the pandemic -- were discharged from the hospital subsequently.
However the condition of three brothers – Popatrao, Dyneshwar and Popatrao –meanwhile deteriorated. After their condition deteriorated, they were shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital – where Diliprao died first on July 10, Popatrao breathed last on July 15 and Dyneshwar died during treatment on July 17.
Popatrao was a retired employee of the Pimpri-Chinwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and also an employees’ union leader, while Dnyaneshwar served with the Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd. Diliprao had retired from a pipe manufacturing company and both were professional wrestlers.
With the passing away of three brothers, a pall of gloom has descended on the Kalapure family. The three brothers were long considered as pillars of the family.