Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday extended his heartfelt condolences on the demise of former National Conference MLA Thakur Rachpal Singh who died of coronavirus.
In a condolence message, the Lt Governor prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and courage to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah also expressed shock and grief over the passing away of Singh, describing his death as a “great loss” to the party.
“He will always be remembered for his tireless contribution in ameliorating the lot of peasants, labour fraternity, weaker sections and downtrodden people of Jammu and Kashmir in general and Rajouri-Poonch belt in particular,” Farooq Abdullah said in a message.
He said his selfless service would remain a guiding force and inspiration for the younger generation of the NC cadre.
The party has lost a dedicated, sincere and hardworking leader whose role in strengthening the bonds of amity and brotherhood between various segments of society was exemplary, the NC president said.
NC Jammu provincial president Devender Singh Rana remembered Singh for his qualities of head and heart and said public good was the mission of his life.
Singh, a resident of Sialsui village of Kalakote in Rajouri district, was admitted to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality hospital at Kakriyal in Reasi on September 5 after testing positive for the infection, officials said.
An official at the hospital said the NC leader was suffering from fever, cough and also complained of breathlessness.
He breathed his last after suffering a massive heart attack in the early hours of Monday, the official said said.
Singh was 69. He is survived by wife, son and two daughters, a party leader said.
Earlier, the National Conference held a condolence meeting at the party headquarters here to mourn the demise of Singh and the participants observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect to the departed soul, a party spokesman said.
He said condolences meetings were also held at all the district and block headquarters across the Jammu region.