<p>H S Mahadeva Prasad, Minister for Co-operation and Sugar, died of a heart attack at a resort near here on Tuesday. He was 58.<br /><br /></p>.<p>He was to attend the silver jubilee celebrations of a co-operative organisation at Koppa at 10.30 am, and had arrived here on Monday night. After dinner at a friend’s house, he retired to The Serai, a luxury resort at Mookthihalli.<br /><br />Y N Shankare Gowda, film producer and director of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Federation, and Nazeemuddin, former president of the Gundlupete municipal council, were staying in an adjoining room.<br /><br />In the morning, they went to find out why Prasad had not come out of his room even after 9 am.<br /><br />Deputy Commissioner G Satyavathi announced Prasad was dead after a team of doctors — comprising the district health officer, the district surgeon and two medical officers — examined him.<br /><br />Doctors did not conduct a post-mortem as his family members did not ask for it. Normally, a post-mortem is done if the family members demand it.<br /><br />The last rites of Prasad will be held at his farmhouse in Halahalli, Gundlupet taluk, <br />in Chamarajanagar district as per the tradition of Lingayat community at 11 am on Wednesday.<br /><br />As the news spread, many Congress leaders made a beeline to the resort. <br />The body was kept for 10 minutes at the district Congress office for party workers and well-wishers to pay their last respects. <br /><br />Prasad had undergone bypass surgery in 2004. A stent had been inserted six months ago. He had also been going to a chiropractor in Bengaluru for some months, a close aide told DH.<br /><br />Reporters were not allowed inside the resort between 10 am and 11 am, triggering a demonstration. Even Zilla Panchayat CEO Dr R Ragapriya and AICC observer and former MP P Viswanathan were blocked by the resort staff.<br /><br />Prasad is survived by his wife Dr Geetha Prasad and son Ganesh Prasad. A resident of Kuvempunagar in Mysuru, he was a staunch loyalist of chief minister Siddaramaiah. The government on Tuesday declared three days of mourning for minister H S Mahadeva Prasad. <br /><br />All government offices and educational institutions remained closed on Tuesday.<br /></p>
<p>H S Mahadeva Prasad, Minister for Co-operation and Sugar, died of a heart attack at a resort near here on Tuesday. He was 58.<br /><br /></p>.<p>He was to attend the silver jubilee celebrations of a co-operative organisation at Koppa at 10.30 am, and had arrived here on Monday night. After dinner at a friend’s house, he retired to The Serai, a luxury resort at Mookthihalli.<br /><br />Y N Shankare Gowda, film producer and director of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Federation, and Nazeemuddin, former president of the Gundlupete municipal council, were staying in an adjoining room.<br /><br />In the morning, they went to find out why Prasad had not come out of his room even after 9 am.<br /><br />Deputy Commissioner G Satyavathi announced Prasad was dead after a team of doctors — comprising the district health officer, the district surgeon and two medical officers — examined him.<br /><br />Doctors did not conduct a post-mortem as his family members did not ask for it. Normally, a post-mortem is done if the family members demand it.<br /><br />The last rites of Prasad will be held at his farmhouse in Halahalli, Gundlupet taluk, <br />in Chamarajanagar district as per the tradition of Lingayat community at 11 am on Wednesday.<br /><br />As the news spread, many Congress leaders made a beeline to the resort. <br />The body was kept for 10 minutes at the district Congress office for party workers and well-wishers to pay their last respects. <br /><br />Prasad had undergone bypass surgery in 2004. A stent had been inserted six months ago. He had also been going to a chiropractor in Bengaluru for some months, a close aide told DH.<br /><br />Reporters were not allowed inside the resort between 10 am and 11 am, triggering a demonstration. Even Zilla Panchayat CEO Dr R Ragapriya and AICC observer and former MP P Viswanathan were blocked by the resort staff.<br /><br />Prasad is survived by his wife Dr Geetha Prasad and son Ganesh Prasad. A resident of Kuvempunagar in Mysuru, he was a staunch loyalist of chief minister Siddaramaiah. The government on Tuesday declared three days of mourning for minister H S Mahadeva Prasad. <br /><br />All government offices and educational institutions remained closed on Tuesday.<br /></p>
