DMK senior leader Rahman Khan dies of heart attack

Rahman Khan (77), who recovered from Covid-19 recently, was said to have succumbed to heart attack on Thursday morning.

His son Zubair Khan told media persons at the hospital that his father passed away after suffering a heart attack.

Announcing the demise of its high-level executive committee member, a statement issued by the DMK headquarters said the party flag would be flown half-mast and all party activities would be deferred by three days as a mark of respect for the leader.

Offering floral tributes to the deceased party senior at party headquarters Anna Arivalayam, DMK president M K Stalin said that he was grieved by the demise of his “elder brother” who was the thunderous voice of the party and who sounder the war bugle even during his student days.

Describing his ideas as “akshayapathra”, Stalin said that though he might have breathed his last, his writings and speech would remain etched in their memory forever.

The five-time MLA who was elected from Chepauk thrice (first in 1977) and once each from Park Town and Ramanathapuram constituencies was popularly called the ‘thunder’ of DMK by its former party president M Karunanidhi. He was a member of the triumvirate comprising incumbent treasurer Duraimurugan and late Suppu. Karunanidhi had fondly addressed the trio as idi, minnal and malai (thunder, lightening and rain) for their oratorical skills. The trio went on a statewide tour for which people paid to lend ears to. His sharp retorts in the State Assembly also earned him the name “sattamandra porvol” (Assembly sword). Rahman Khan had also served as labour minister during the 1996-2001 DMK regime.