Karan Singh dies at AIIMS, cremated
Tribune News Service
Kullu, May 12
The last rites of Ayurveda Minister Karan Singh were performed with state honours near Bhootnath Temple on the banks of the Beas here today.
The minister, who was undergoing treatment at AIIMS, Delhi, for one month, died last night. He was suffering from lung and liver ailment. He was 60 years old and is survived by his wife and son. His elder son had died in an accident in 2012.
His mortal remains were brought to the Bhuntar airport in a chopper from Delhi today and thereafter from Bhuntar to Kullu at his residence at Rupi Palace. People started arriving at his residence ever since the news came in.
The minister was popular among people and was representing the Banjar constituency in Kullu.
Rural Development Minister Anil Sharma, Transport Minister GS Bali and several other local leaders were present. His son Aditya Vikram Singh lit the pyre.
A scion of the Kullu Royal family and younger brother of BJP stalwart Maheshwar Singh, the former Raja of Kullu, Karan Singh was a three-time MLA. He was elected from the Banjar Assembly constituency in 1990, 1998 and 2012. He won as a BJP candidate in 1990 and 1998 and served as the Minister of State for Primary Education in the Dhumal government.
After being sidelined in the BJP, he joined the Congress ahead of the 2012 Assembly elections and was elected from Banjar. He was inducted as a minister in the Virbhadra Singh cabinet in August 2015.
Governor Acharya Devvrat, CM Virbhadra Singh, former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, Speaker of Vidhan Sabha BBL Butail, ministers, MLAs and prominent leaders expressed grief over the demise of the minister.
