Veteran leader Mukul Roy dies at 71 after cardiac arrest in Kolkata. Photos: ANI.
Mukul Roy, the veteran West Bengal politician and former Union Railway Minister, died in the early hours of Monday in Kolkata, according to family members and local reports. He was 71. Available information indicates that Roy suffered a cardiac arrest, after which he passed away.
He was once regarded as one of the most influential political strategists in the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). He held various important positions throughout his career, including Minister of Railways during the UPA government.
His son, Shuvrangshu Roy, confirmed that he breathed his last at Apollo Hospital, a private hospital in Salt Lake, at around 1:30 am, as reported by ANI and The Indian Express.
“Everything is over. He died at around 1:30 pm after a massive cardiac arrest. It was not possible to bring him back after that,” he said.
Roy had largely stepped back from active politics in recent years as his health steadily declined. Doctors confirmed in early 2023 that he had been battling dementia and Parkinson’s disease, conditions that significantly affected both his cognitive and physical abilities.
In March 2023, he underwent brain surgery for hydrocephalus, a disorder caused by the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain that leads to increased intracranial pressure. His condition worsened further in July 2024 after he suffered a fall at his residence, resulting in a head injury and another surgery to remove a blood clot.
He also struggled with chronic diabetes, respiratory distress and persistently high blood sugar levels. Associates described his health in the final years as increasingly “feeble.”
Over the last two years, Roy had frequent hospitalisations as his condition deteriorated progressively. He had lost the ability to recognise familiar faces and was being administered liquid nutrition through a Ryle’s tube.
Mukul Roy was the founding member of the TMC when it was established in January 1998 by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Like Banerjee, he began his political career through the Youth Congress in the state before joining her in building the new party. However, later in his political career, he joined the BJP for a brief period before returning to the TMC.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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