Ranchi, Sep 6 (IANS) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday mourned the death of state minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu, describing him as an elder brother whose departure had left a void in his life that could not be expressed in words.
In a post on X, Soren said he received the “heartbreaking news” of Sudivya Kumar Sonu’s passing late at night and described the news as extremely difficult to accept.
“Sonu Bhaiya was not just a senior colleague or political associate to me. He was like an elder brother — affectionate, guiding, and steadfastly standing by my side in every difficult time,” Soren wrote, adding that the moments spent with him and the lessons learned from him would always remain with him.
Recalling Sonu’s association with the Jharkhand movement, the Chief Minister said he had stood with “full devotion and strength” alongside the late Baba Dishom Guruji. He further stated that as a dedicated soldier of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Sonu devoted his life to the struggle for Jharkhand’s identity, rights and pride.
“His dedication to Jharkhandiyat and his indomitable spirit will always be remembered,” Soren wrote.
He added, “Sonu Bhaiya, your passing is a personal loss for me. Your absence will always be felt. I will carry your affection, your struggles, and your commitment to Jharkhand with me for life.”
JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey described the minister’s death as “deeply sorrowful” and “deeply painful,” saying his untimely departure had created a void in Jharkhand politics that would be difficult to fill. He termed it an immense loss for the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and prayed for peace for his soul.
Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly Babulal Marandi also expressed shock over the sudden death. Marandi said he initially found the news difficult to believe after learning about it through media reports, before confirming it through his contacts in Giridih.
“Even though Sudivya Sonu belonged to a different political party, he was from our town, and we had known each other since the beginning,” Marandi said, describing him as quite popular and calling his sudden death a shock to his family, society and everyone who knew him.
Congress leader Rajesh Thakur described the death as “very tragic” and said Sudivya Kumar was a close associate. He recalled speaking with him just two or three days ago when the minister was in Bengaluru on an exposure visit related to tourism.
Meanwhile, Dr Shahzad Sheikh said the minister was brought to the hospital at around 2:15 am after experiencing chest pain for about two hours. The doctor said he had aspirated after vomiting, requiring immediate intubation to secure his airway.
An ECG showed signs of a heart attack, while his blood pressure was unrecordable, the doctor said. Inotropes and vasopressors were started, but around 10 to 15 minutes later, the patient collapsed, and CPR was initiated.
Sudivya Kumar Sonu, who held several key portfolios in the Jharkhand government, passed away despite medical efforts. His death has triggered widespread mourning across Giridih and Jharkhand, with political leaders, party workers, officials and members of the public expressing grief over his sudden demise.
–IANS
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