Partymen bid farewell to Chittabrata Majumdar

Kolkata, Feb 21(UNI) The body of CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and CITU General Secretary Chittabrata Majumdar was handed over to hospital authorities for medical studies today as partymen bid farewell to the departed leader in a huge procession.

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, CITU President M K Pandhe and several other all India leaders, including Mr Sitaram Yechury, Mrs Brinda Karat and Mr C Rangarajan joined mourners in the procession with a vehicle-decked with flowers and draped in red flags--carrying the body from the state Heaquarters to the Nilratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital in central Kolkata.

Mr Majumdar, who was also a CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member and a former West Bengal Minister, died yesterday after a 20-day battle for life following acute lung infection. He had donated his body for medical studies following in the line of several other party leaders in the past.

His body was kept in the 'Peace Haven' morgue last night after being taken to his residence at Salkia in Howrah, the state secretariat in the Writers' Buildings, the state Assembly, the CITU and CPI(M) state committee offices.

Thousands of party members, including top leaders and supporters, paid their last respects to the departed leader by placing wreaths and bouquets on the body.

The Left leader was admitted to an east Kolkata nursing home on February 1. He had been on ventilator support since February 14 after his condition turned critical.

UNI