HOCKEY fraternity of the region is shocked with the untimely death of Dharamraj Kanojiya, a former national level umpire of Vidarbha Hockey Association. Kanojiya, a resident of Sadar and former employee of MECL, passed away on Wednesday due to COVID-19 at the age of 66. “Dharamraj was admitted to Indira Gandhi Government Medical College (Mayo) and Hospital last week. But he could not recover,” his brother-in-law Sunil Kanojiya told ‘The Hitavada’.

The last rites were performed at Ambazari ghat. Kanojiya leaves behind wife Bela, two daughters Shilpa and Alka, and son Shubham. He was 66. Shubham, who plays in Nagpur District Football Association’s Elite Division League for Rahul Sankrutyayan Sports Association said his father was fine till yesterday afternoon. “My father complained of breathlessness on Friday morning. We admitted him to IGGMCH and his COVID-19 reports came positive same night. “Yesterday he was fine and also asked us to shift him to other hospital. But I got a call at around 11 pm from hospital that my father’s oxygen level has dropped and he has suffered an attack. He could not be revived,” said Shubham who represented Maharashtra in Santosh Trophy last year.