Jharkhand Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto Dies At 56 In Chennai

Jharkhand minister Jagarnath Mahto died on Thursday at a hospital in Chennai where he was undergoing treatment, a senior doctor of the health facility said. He was 56.

Mr Mahto, the minister for school education and literacy, was airlifted to Chennai last month due to health complications. He had undergone a lung transplant in November 2020 after suffering from COVID-19.

"Mahto breathed his last today," Dr Apar Jindal of MGM Healthcare told PTI.

He is survived by a son and four daughters.

Mr Mahto, the four-time JMM MLA from Dumri in Giridih district, was taken to Chennai in October 2020, where he had undergone the transplant as his lungs were damaged due to the COVID-19 infection, a health department official said here.

The minister had returned to Ranchi after eight months in June 2021, he said.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren condoled the demise of Mahto.

"Irreparable loss. Today Jharkhand has lost one of its popular and hardworking leaders who participated in agitations...Respected Jagarnath Mahto Ji passed away during treatment in Chennai. May God give peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family," Mr Soren wrote on Twitter.

Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan also condoled the demise of Mr Mahto saying the news of his death is sad and painful.

The Jharkhand government declared mourning for two days from April 6 in honour of Mr Mahto, during which no official ceremony would be held.

According to a state government notification, the cabinet meeting scheduled this evening was cancelled.

Union Minister and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda condoled his death and said Mr Mahto had played an important role in the agitation for the creation of a separate Jharkhand state.

BJP state chief and MP Deepak Prakash in a message said Mahto's demise has left a huge void in state politics.

Taking to Twitter, former Jharkhand Chief Minister and BJP leader Babulal Marandi said, "The departure of Jagarnath Ji, who fought like a warrior while defeating the disease for a long time, is very sad. I had always admired his vitality despite political differences." Mahto was admitted to a Ranchi hospital where he was on ventilator support after he tested positive for COVID-19 in September 2020.

Meanwhile, his body will be flown into Ranchi from Chennai on Friday morning and will be kept at Jharkhand Assembly and later will be kept at the JMM office for people to pay tributes. From there he will be taken to his native place Simrakuli Alargo in Bokaro district and the last rites will done, sources said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)