Former Santosh Trophy Footballer Hamsakoya Succumbs To COVID-19

Malappuram: Former Santosh Trophy footballer E Hamsakoya succumbed to COVID-19 in Malappuram on Saturday.

Five of his family members are undergoing treatment for the virus at the Medical College hospital in Manjeri, according to District Medical Officer Dr K Sakeena,

The 61-year-old Hamsakoya, a Keralite who had settled in Mumbai, travelled to his native town on May 21 with his family and all of them were in quarantine.

His daughter-in-law was the first among them to test positive. Hamsakoya, who played for Kolkata club Mohun Bagan and also Tata SC in Mumbai, was also diagnosed with cofronavirus.

His condition deteriorated within days. It was reported that hospital authorities tried plasma therapy to revive him, but to no avail. After being on ventilator for for two days, he suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away.

A striker, Hamsakoya played for Maharashtra in Santosh Trophy (1981-86) and was also part of Indian team for the Nehru Trophy. He also represented Railways.