U’khand minister Surendra Rakesh succumbs to cancer at Noida hosp

Dehradun: State transport and social welfare minister Surendra Rakesh succumbed to cancer on Saturday at a specialty hospital in Noida after battling the disease for more than a year. The 55-year-old BSP legislator from Bhagwanpur in Haridwar district is survived by his wife, son and daughter.
Rakesh, who had been a member of the Congress-led state government ever since its inception in March 2012, had been suffering from leukemia, also known as blood cancer. Sources close to the family said ever since his diagnosis, he had been under treatment at a Gurgaon hospital, before being shifted recently to the facility in Noida.
A helicopter transported his mortal remains to Bhagwanpur where the last rites were performed in the presence of family members, chief minister Harish Rawat and senior government functionaries including chief secretary N Ravi Shankar.
Uttarakhand government has declared three-day mourning period beginning Saturday as a mark of respect to the departed soul. All government offices will remain closed during the period. Sources said chief minister Harish Rawat also deferred a state cabinet meeting to discuss land ownership in Udham Singh Nagar, scheduled to be held on Saturday, by a week.