The 56-year-old BJP general secretary, who was shot thrice by younger brother Pravin on April 22, died of respiratory failure.
MUMBAI: Pramod Mahajan died at the PD Hinduja Hospital at 4.10pm on Wednesday. The 56-year-old BJP general secretary, who was shot thrice by younger brother Pravin on April 22, died of respiratory failure after battling for life for 12 long days.
The overcast Mumbai sky added to the pall of gloom that descended on the state BJP headquarters and the hospital lawns where hundreds of party activists had gathered on learning that Mahajan’s condition had worsened overnight.
Mahajan’s body was taken from the hospital to the BJP headquarters at Nariman Point to allow party workers to pay their last respects until midnight. Thereafter it was taken to his residence at Purna building in Worli. The funeral procession will begin at 10am from there. The last rites will be conducted at the Shivaji Park crematorium at noon.
Mahajan will be given a state funeral as he was defence minister in the 13-day BJP government in 1996. Later, he held various portfolios such as information and broadcasting, telecommunications, and parliamentary affairs in the governments that came to power in 1998 and 1999. At the time of his death he was a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Mahajan’s condition started deteriorating in the last 48 hours as he developed severe respiratory disorders due to lung infections. He underwent a two-hour operation late on Tuesday. Doctors attending on him, led by GB Daver, went for surgical intervention to treat the infections in his lungs and abdomen threatening his life.
Mahajan’s family members had heaved a sigh of relief at the end of the operation at 2am on Wednesday.
But at daybreak his condition began worsening with Mahajan showing no signs of responding to the treatment. Efforts to revive his respiration and blood pressure using blast therapy technique continued till 3pm, but in vain. Finally, the doctors declared him dead.
Pramod Lele, chief executive officer of Hinduja Hospital, said in a statement: “It is with great regret that we announce the untimely death of Pramod Mahajan. Pramodji passed away this afternoon at 4.10pm.”
According to Dr Daver, “Despite the ventilators and dialysis, what was awaited most was the response of the body to the medical treatment, which was major worrying factor.”
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and his son, executive president Uddhav Thackeray, and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and his wife Sharmila were among the few politicians who were allowed to visit Mahajan almost a couple of hours before he was declared dead.
Pravin’s family will skip funeral
MUMBAI: Pravin Mahajan showed no emotion in jail when he learnt of brother Pramod’s death.
Pravin’s family will not attend the funeral at Shivaji Park, Dadar, on Thursday.
This information was conveyed to a police team that visited Pravin’s residence late Wednesday evening.
“None of my family members will be able to attend the funeral,” Pravin’s wife Sarangi told the police.
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