MP minister Prakash Sonkar dead

Indore, June 23: Madhya Pradesh Minister of State for Forest and Scheduled Caste Welfare Prakash Sonkar died early this morning following a heart attack at the circuit house at Jhabua.

Sonkar, 54, is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

He was on a two-day official visit to the tribal dominated Jhabua district, of which he was the minister incharge. He suffered the heart attack early this morning and was taken to the district hospital, where the doctors declared him dead, official sources said.

His body was being brought here for the funeral later in the day. Senior officials and BJP leaders accompanied the body.

The state government declared state mourning today and half day holiday for the government offices and educational institutions here.

Born here on January 15, 1954, Sonkar was in active politics for about three decades. He was elected from Sanver in 1980, 1993 and 2003. He was also Vice President of BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha.

UNI