Kolkata: In an unfortunate development, veteran CPI(M) leader and Bengal minister Shyamal Chakraborty breathed his last at a Kolkata hospital on Thursday following cardiac arrest. The 76-year-old former Rajya Sabha MP was tested Covid positive recently and admitted at the Peerless Hospital in South Kolkata on July 30. According to the reports, he was put on ventilation on August 1, as his condition deteriorated and died this afternoon at about 1:50 PM. ALSO READ | Coronavirus In India: Over 56K New Cases In Single Day, Overall Tally Inches Closer To 2 Million; Check Worst Affected States


A senior trade union leader besides former Bengal transport minister and the CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions) Bengal secretary, Chakraborty is survived by daughter Ushasi Chakraborty, an actor.

A News18 report mentioned that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier today spoke with Ushasie over the phone and enquired about Chakraborty health. She has also assured all sorts of help to the actress and her family. Overwhelmed with the gesture, Ushasie expressed her gratitude and thanked Banerjee.

Expressing grief on leader's demise, CPI(M) party said, "CPI(M) expresses its deep sadness at the demise of Shyamal Chakraborty. Comrade Shyamal was a veteran trade union leader, former minister and Central Committee member of the CPI(M). Today the working class and the left movement in the country has lost an important voice."


Chakraborty is the second notable politician from the state who succumbed to COVID-19. Trinamool Congress MLA Tamonash Ghosh succumbed to the contagion in June. Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation councillor Subhash Bose also died of COVID-19 on Wednesday.

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West Bengal continues to record surge in number of Coronavirus cases, with Kolkata being the worst-hit district in the state. West Bengal logged 2,816 new cases on Wednesday while 61 COVID-19 patients died in the last 24 hours. 278 patients were discharged on Wednesday, taking the discharge rate to 70.36 per cent- the highest ever.

India recorded another massive single-day spike of 56,282 cases on Thursday taking the total to 19,64,537. With 904 fatalities the death toll has now reached 40,699.

According to data by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, at present, the active cases are 5,95,501. India’s recovery rate remains high and a total of 13,28,336 have been discharged so far.