Ex Bihar minister and RJD MLA Abdul Gafoor dies

Former Bihar Minister and RJD MLA Abdul Gafoor died at a hospital in New Delhi on Tuesday, family sources said.

He was 60 and is survived by wife, three sons and three daughters.

Gafoor, who represents Mahishi assembly constituency in Bihar Assembly, was suffering from liver ailment for past quite some time and was admitted to the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), Delhi a week ago. He breathed his last this morning at the ILBS hospital.

His body will be brought to Patna by this evening and he will be buried on Wednesday at his native Boharba village in Saharsa district, family sources said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed profound grief over Gafoor's death and  announced that his funeral rites (burial) will be carried out with full state honours, an official release said.

In his condolence message, Kumar said that Gafoor was an efficient politician and noted social worker. He was a soft spoken and simple person.

Kumar prayed to almighty to give strength and courage to the family members to bear the loss, it said.

Information and Public Relations Department Minister Neeraj Kumar also condoled the death of Gafoor and said that his untimely death has caused irreparable loss to the public life.

Former Bihar CM and RJD president Lalu Prasad, his wife and former CM Rabri Devi, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and a host of leaders of RJD and other political parties condoled the death of Gafoor and said that the entire RJD family is pained today as it has lost its one of the most committed party leaders.