Bokaro, May 21: Shibu Soren’s eldest son, Durga, died early this morning, plunging the JMM into yet another crisis even it tries to recover from the recent Lok Sabha poll debacle in Jharkhand.

The 39-year-old JMM general secretary, known to be suffering from multiple ailments, had been complaining of uneasiness since last night. Today, when his daughter Jaishree, 11, tried to wake him in the morning, he did not respond. His family immediately rushed Durga to Bokaro General Hospital where he was declared dead.

Doctors did not provide an official explanation about the cause of his death, forcing his brother Hemant to announce to the media that a post-mortem would be conducted tomorrow morning to ascertain the reason behind his untimely death. “My elder brother, Durga’s body will be kept at our Sector-I residence for partymen to pay their respects. The last rites will be conducted at our ancestral village Nemra near Gola in Ramgarh district tomorrow,” he said.

Durga is survived by his wife, Sita, and daughters Jaishree, Vijayshree and Bhagyashree, besides his parents and two brothers Hemant and Basant Soren.

Soren, who arrived here on chartered flight after he was told that Durga was unwell, couldn’t imagine that the worst had already happened. “It’s most unfortunate for any father to see the body of his son,” he said. “Oh God, why are you punishing me like this,” he asked, as he wept inconsolably with wife Ripu and sons Hemant and Basant beside him.

Family sources revealed Durga was suffering from several ailments, including hypoglycaemia, diabetes, and hypertension, and had one of his kidneys removed in 2001. He was on heavy medication and doctors had advised him to lead a regulated life, which Durga often flouted. He wasn’t well since the last three days.

For the JMM, these were testing times. One, the recent election has reduced it to two MPs and Two, there is no sign of early elections in the state, that has been under President’s rule since January 19.

Also, the Congress high command seems unlikely to back an alternative government even if it were to be headed by Soren. Several leaders, including political rivals, paid their condolences to the Soren family. Among them were Madhu Koda and Babulal Marandi.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi in her condolence message to Shibu Soren said that certain incidents in daily life are beyond the control of human beings.

“The demise of a youth before the eyes of his parents is a very cruel attack by the destiny. We firmly believe that you will gain the strength to bear the pain of sorrowness. All of us stand united with you at this hour of crisis,” she added.