Residents of the Steel City bid the former deputy CM Sudhir Mahato a tearful goodbye on Friday. Emotions soar during the final journey that was taken out from his residence in Kadma. The funeral procession went through Uliyan bazaar in Kadma and Sonari before coming its way to the crematorium via the Bistupur main thoroughfare.
The funeral was held with State honours and a 21 gun salute by the JAP jawans at Parvati Ghat in Bistupur. The jawans fired four rounds before the funeral pyre was lit by Mahato’s nephew Himanshu Mahato. Mahato, a senior JMM leader, died of a massive heart attack while on his way to Jamshedpur at about 10.20 pm on Wednesday. He was 58. Mahto is survived by his wife and four daughters.
Cutting across party lines, politicians teemed at Mahato’s residence to mourn his death. Chief minister Hemant Soren, JMM supremo Shibu Soren, Speaker Shashank Shekhar Bhokta, former chief ministers Arjun Munda and Madhu Koda, Congress leader Subodhkant Sahay, Jamshedpur MP Ajoy Kumar, MlAs Mathura Mahto, Bidyut Varan Mahto, Ramdas Soren and Banna Gupta, were present during the cremation.Tata Steel deputy-vice-president Sunil Bhaskaran and other senior officials were also present. CM said that Mahato's life was dedicated for Jharkhand and his party. He played an important role in separate statehood movement. He also appealed the youth of the state to play an active role in order to fulfill the dreams their elders.
“He was equally concerned about the poor and the marginalized and did all he could to assist them in every way possible. His sad demise is an irreparable emotional loss for us all”, noted JMM supremo Shibu Soren. Mahato had been to Maubhandar (near Ghatshila) to attend the marriage reception of Jharkhand Copper Majdoor Union general secretary Devi Prasad Mukherjee’s son. Mahato experienced massive pain in his chest while he moving towards Jamshedpur in his SUV and died on the spot.
Mahto’s body was kept at the Uliyan grounds where thousands of people, including several from Bengal and Odisha, had come to have a last look at the popular leader. “It is a huge loss for the party and we are very sad at the untimely demise of Sudhir da. We will miss him,” said a party activist.
