CHANDIGARH — Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary passed away on Saturday after suffering a heart attack during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Punjab’s Phillaur.
The 76-year-old MP from Jalandhar fainted during the Yatra in Punjab’s Phillaur. He was taken to a hospital in Phagwara in an ambulance, where he died later.
Rahul Gandhi, who was leading the yatra, left the march midway and rushed to the hospital where the veteran Congress leader had been taken. He is likely to meet Mr Chaudhary’s family at his home in Jalandhar later today.
The yatra has been suspended for the day.
Earlier in the morning, the yatra resumed from Ladhowal in Ludhiana as part of its Punjab leg. The Punjab leg of the march begun on Wednesday from Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib.
Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said Mr Chaudhary’s death is a “great blow to the party and organisation”.
“Deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the untimely passing away of our MP, Shri Santokh Singh Chaudhary. His loss is a great blow to the party and organisation. In this hour of grief, my heart goes out to his family, friends and followers. May his soul rest in peace,” he said in a tweet.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and former Congress leader Amarinder Singh also condoled the death of Santokh Singh Chaudhary.