Silchar, Aug. 2: Former Union minister and veteran Congress leader Santosh Mohan Dev passed away at Valley Hospital and Research Centre here this morning. He was 83.
Dev, ailing for a long time, was admitted to the hospital last Wednesday after his health deteriorated. His treatment was done under the supervision of a team led by Dr P.C. Sarma, a renowned cardiologist and former head of the department of cardiology, Silchar Medical College and Hospital. His death was confirmed at 6.06am.
Sarma told The Telegraph this afternoon that Dev, a diabetic for three decades, had died of multi-organ failure. He was suffering from pneumonia when he was admitted to the hospital, followed by septicaemia and ultimately renal failure.
Dev, a seven-time Congress MP, is survived by his wife and former Silchar legislator Bithika Dev, daughters Silchar MP Sushmita Dev, Bharati (Dev) Dubey, Tapati Rathi and Saswati (Dev) Dali, sons-in-law Karan Dubey, Jatin Rathi, Danio Dali and grandchildren Shreya, Karishma and Riya .
Dev was first elected to Parliament in 1980. Of the seven terms as the Lok Sabha MP, he represented Silchar (Assam) five times and Tripura twice. He was the heavy industries minister in the Manmohan Singh-led UPA-I government. He also served as minister of state for communications from 1986-88 and minister of state for home from 1988-89. He was also the minister of state for steel (independent charge) in the P.V. Narasimha Rao government in 1991.
A pall of gloom descended on Silchar and the Barak Valley as condolences poured in. Several persons took to social media to express condolences. Sushmita Dev took to twitter and expressed deep sorrow over the "irreparable" loss. She also thanked everyone for their prayers and love for her father. She expressed gratitude to Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal for declaring tomorrow a local holiday, Assam PCC spokesperson Dipon Dewanjee said this evening.
Cachar deputy commissioner S. Viswanathan (who visited the hospital and met Dev's family this morning) said the government has announced state mourning and a state funeral.
Tweets from Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Saddened by the passing away of Shri Santosh Mohan Dev. He was a veteran political leader who worked extensively for welfare of people" and "My thoughts are with the family and supporters of Shri Santosh Mohan Dev in this hour of grief."
Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed her deepest condolences. She said his immense contribution to building the party in the Northeast, right from the grassroots, would always be remembered. His death was an irreparable loss to the nation, she added. AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi will reach Silchar tomorrow to attend the funeral.
President Ram Nath Kovind, former President Pranab Mukherjee, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and many others expressed sorrow.
The Silchar district Congress committee members said Dev's body would be kept at his Tarapur residence from 8.30am to 10am tomorrow. Thereafter, a procession will be taken out so that local citizens can bid adieu to the leader, following which his body will be taken to Silchar cremation ground for the last rites.
State PWD, fisheries and excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya said Barak Valley had lost one of its "most blessed sons". Silchar MLA and Assam Deputy Speaker Dilip Kumar Paul said he was saddened by the news.
