Chikkamagaluru: Minister for Cooperation and Sugar, H S Mahadev Prasad (59) was found dead in a room at a resort in Chikkamagaluru Tuesday morning. The minister is believed to have suffered a heart attack while he was asleep.
In Chikkamagaluru, to attend the silver jubilee celebrations of the Transport Cooperative Society at Koppa, he had arrived Monday at around 8.30 pm and had dinner at former MLA I. B. Shankar’s home before returning to the resort.
His party leaders were asked to join him there the next morning so they could leave together for Koppa. But when Chikkamagaluru district unit Congress president, Vijaykumar and other leaders arrived at the resort at around 8. 30 am Tuesday, there was no sign of the minister and repeated calls on his phone went unanswered.
Growing suspicious, one of the minister's assistants and Mr Vijaykumar knocked on his door, but when there was no response, the room was opened with the help of the resort staff at around 9.45 am. The minister was found dead in his bed.
Mahadev Prasad passes away
Chikkamagaluru district surgeon, Kumar Naik, who examined him, said he had suffered a severe heart attack. In the past, Mr Prasad had undergone a bypass surgery and was on pacemaker.
"By the time I reached the room at around 10.25 am, he had been dead for at least six hours," the doctor said, adding that heart attacks were common during cold weather and Chikkamagaluru was one of the coldest places in the state. A collective decision was taken by the officials concerned not to conduct a post-mortem on the body.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was informed on the phone by Mr Vijaykumar about Mr Prasad's death, was expectedly, shocked at his sudden passing away. Several leaders paid their last respects to the minister before his body was taken to Chamarajanagar via Hassan and Mysuru for the last rites.
