Kumaramangalam passes away

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, AUG. 23. The Union Power Minister, Mr. P.R. Kumaramangalam, who was battling for life in the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here for the past one week, died early this morning following a massive heart attack. He was cremated with full State honours in the electric crematorium at Nigambodh Ghat in the evening. The last rites were performed by his 21-year-old son.

The 48-year-old Minister, who was admitted to the AIIMS on August 12 with ``undiagnosed fever'', and slipped into coma soon after, suffered a major heart attack at about 4-20 a.m.. Efforts to revive him proved futile and doctors pronounced him dead 20 minutes later.

The body of Mr. Kumaramangalam was then embalmed and taken to 30, Aurangzeb Road, his official residence. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Vice-President, Mr. Krishan Kant, and the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, were among the first to visit Mr. Kumaramangalam's residence to pay their last respects.

Later in the day, the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, the Congress(I) president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, and Union Ministers paid homage.

The funeral procession started from his residence at about 4 p.m. With Mr. Kumaramangalam's body draped in the national tricolor, the procession was led by a high-ranking officer of the armed forces.

Wreaths were placed on the body by the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, the Union Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, and the three Service Chiefs.

With guns booming in salute, Mr. Kumaramangalam's body was consigned to flames in the electric furnace.

PTI reports:

Flags flew at half-mast today on Government buildings throughout the country as a mark of respect to Mr. Kumaramangalam.

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