Thiruvananthapuram, May 9(BPNS)

Vipin Chand, 42 was one of the most bubbly reporters of Malayalam television industry and was doing his political beat when he contracted Covid -19 and after fighting a battle with the disease, the young journalist succumbed on Sunday morning after a massive heart attack. He is survived by his wife Sreedevi and son Maheswar.

Vipin started his career with Indiavision Malayalam news channel in 2005 and joined Matrubhumi in 2012.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala , Union minister of state for External affairs and a horde of other political leaders and people from all walks of life expressed their condolences on the passing away of the young journalist.

Union minister of state for External affairs, V Muraleedharan called upon the state government to consider journalists in the category of frontline workers and to provide all the benefits of the frontline workers including priority in vaccination. Kerala is yet to consider journalists as frontline Covid-19 workers. Punjab, Odisha ,Bihar ,Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have already given journalists the status of frontline Covid -19 workers.