Jharkhand education minister Ramdas Soren dies at 62; state mourns

RANCHI: The Jharkhand government declared a one-day state mourning on Saturday to mark the death of Education Minister Ramdas Soren, an official statement said. The National Flag will be flown at half-mast at all buildings in Jharkhand and no official function will take place, it said.

Soren died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi on Friday night and his body was brought to Ranchi on Saturday morning. "The state government has decided to observe one-day of state mourning on August 16 in honour of the minister, who died in a hospital in Delhi," the statement said.

The National Flag will be flown at half-mast in all buildings and no official functions will be held during this period, it added. The 62-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader was airlifted to the hospital in the national capital from Jamshedpur after he fell in the bathroom of his residence on August 2.

Soren's condition was critical and he was on life support. A multidisciplinary team of senior specialists was closely monitoring his condition and providing intensive medical care.