Communist leader Shenoy passes away

Payyannur, Kerala, Nov 14 (UNI) Freedom fighter and veteran Communist leader N Subramanya Shenoy died of illness related to old age at a hospital here today.

He was 93 and is survived by second wife Revathi and eight children.

His funeral will take place here tomorrow.

A close associate of top Communist leaders P Krishna Pillai, A K Gopalan and K A Keraleean, Shenoy was one of the founder leaders of the movement in Kerala and had participated in the first meeting of the party at Parapram in the red bastion of Pinarayi in the district.

Started his career as a Congress activist, Shenoy was expelled from the Payyannur Government High School for hoisting the tri-colour after retreating the Union Jack in protest against awarding capital punishment to legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

Shenoy, who later shifted loyalty to the Congress Socilist Party, the Communist Party and then to CPI (M) after the party split in 1964, had served jail terms and underground for about 12 years during his political career.

He had represented Payannur in the Kerala assembly twice in 1977 and 1980.

CPI (M) State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, Central Committee member E P Jayarajan and former state minister M V Raghavan were among hundreds of people, who turned up at the Gandhi Maidan here to pay homage to the departed soul.

UNI AK/PCH VS1633