Kerala Assembly Speaker G Karthikeyan passes away

Kerala Assembly Speaker and former two-time minister in the A K Antony cabinet, G Karthikeyan passed away following multi-organ failure at a hospital in Bengaluru on Saturday.

The 66-year-old Karthikeyan, who had been admitted to the HCG Cancer Centre in Bengaluru for Hepato Cellular Cancer (liver cancer) some days ago, had taken expert treatment at US-based Mayo Clinic in October last year.

According to hospital sources, his condition deteriorated due to multi-organ failure and he died at 10.30 AM.

He is survived by his wife M T Sulekha and two sons.

The state government has declared a seven-day mourning as a mark of respect to the departed leader.

Holiday was declared for all government offices, educational institutions, public sector undertakings, cooperative banks and institutions coming under the purview of Negotiable Instrument Act this afternoon.

Hundreds of party workers and relatives received the body at the airport which was brought here by a special flight this evening.