Third Australian reportedly dies in India as country ravaged by COVID

Heartbreaking details have emerged over the death of a man in India from Sydney’s west who, along with his family, contracted COVID-19.

A third Australian has died of COVID-19 in virus-ravaged India as the country continues to battle its relentless second wave.

Sunil Khanna, 51, is the third Australian to die from the virus, only days after a second Australian citizen’s death was reported.

Mr Khanna, an Australian citizen from Sydney’s west, had been caring for his elderly parents in New Delhi, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The family reportedly tested positive to the virus on April 25.

After struggling to find a hospital bed for four days, he suffered a cardiac pulmonary arrest and died soon after being admitted.

Australian citizen Sunil Khanna died from COVID-19 in India. Picture: Supplied via NCA NewsWire

His mother died 24 hours later.

“I felt totally helpless,” Mr Khanna’s brother Sanjay told the newspaper.

“The health system has totally collapsed.”

The second Australian citizen to die in the second wave, Govind Kant, had travelled to India for his mother’s funeral. He died on May 16.

The identity of the first permanent resident who died has not emerged.

India reported a record 4329 deaths on Tuesday while its total reported cases topped 25 million, according to Health Ministry figures.

Sanjay Khanna is now attempting to look after his elderly father, who has no other family left.

He wants the Australian government to let his father into Australia on humanitarian grounds.

“He’s very anxious and quite teary and lonely when I speak to him, but I try to keep him positive,” Mr Khanna said.

“He’s my last remaining relative I have in India.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment.