Devi Lal dead*
7-day mourning in Haryana * Cremation today

New Delhi, April 6
Former Deputy Prime Minister and former Chief Minister of Haryana Devi Lal died of cardiac arrest in the Cardiac Coronary Unit of a hospital here this evening. He was 86. Sources close to the family said Mr Devi Lal breathed his last at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. He was admitted to the hospital on March 29 after he complained of uneasiness and pain in the chest.

His grandson Ajay Singh Chautala who is an MP from Bhiwani, was by his side when the end came. His son and Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala was away to Pundri in Kaithal district. Sources said that the time and place of the funeral is yet to be fixed.

A bulletin issued by Apollo Hospital said Mr Devi Lal died at 7.20 pm after he suffered a massive myocardial infarction which led to an irreversible cardiogenic shock. The bulletin stated that Mr Devi Lal was admitted on March 29 after undergoing treatment at Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. “He had been ailing for quite some time and had multiple medical problems. Having suffered from ischaemic heart diseases with rest angina and cardiac arythmia, he had also suffered from a stroke in the past with right sided weakness. He was an old patient of high blood pressure.’’

Dr Rajeev Lochan, senior consultant cardiologist who was attending to Mr Devi Lal said that he appeared well and cheerful in the afternoon and had expressed a desire to be moved to the recovery ward as he was feeling better. Dr Lochan said that Mr Devi Lal had been admitted to the hospital in the past for various problems, including variation in pulse rate. Sources in Apollo said that the body would be moved to Mr Devi Lal’s Lodhi Estate residence here.

Chandigarh
The former Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Devi Lal, who died in Delhi this evening, will be cremated at “Kisan Ghat” on the banks of the Yamuna tomorrow at 4 p.m. The Haryana Government has declared a seven day mourning. All official functions have been cancelled. The state government has declared a public holiday tomorrow under the Negotiable Instruments Act. All educational institutions and commercial establishments will remain closed in Haryana. “Kisan Ghat” is the samadhi of another towering leader of the farmers, Charan Singh, former Prime Minister.