One-day State mourning; Last rites today at Bellada Bagewadi in Belagavi
Bengaluru: Minister Umesh Katti died of a heart attack late last night. He was 61 and was in charge of the Forest, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Departments.
According to family sources, the Minister collapsed in the bathroom of his Dollars Colony home. He was then rushed to M.S. Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, where he breathed his last. A record eight-time Legislator from Belagavi district, Katti held several Ministerial posts.
Dr. Aruna Ramesh, head of Emergency Services at Ramaiah Hospital, said the Minister suffered a massive heart attack. “He was brought in at 10.30 pm. He was unconscious, wasn’t breathing and did not have a pulse. As a routine, it is considered a cardiac arrest. Despite all our efforts, we could not revive him. At 11.40 pm, we declared him dead,” she said.
Katti’s body was airlifted from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport in Bengaluru to Belagavi this noon after a five-hour wait. The body was kept in an ambulance at the Airport. The flight later landed at Sambra Airport in Belagavi.
The delay was due to the late arrival of the special flight from Hyderabad due to extreme weather conditions. Katti’s wife Sheela, daughter, son and brother and former MP Ramesh Katti accompanied the mortal remains in the special flight.
The State Government has announced one-day mourning as a mark of respect to the departed soul and a State funeral has been announced with the arrangements being made for the last rites at Katti’s farmhouse in Bellada Bagewadi in Hukkeri taluk of Belagavi. The mortal remains will be laid to rest today next to the grave of his parents. All procedures will be done after the public viewing till 2 pm at Sankeshwara.
The Belagavi district administration has declared a holiday for schools and colleges today. Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil has announced a holiday for educational institutions in keeping with the protocol.
This post was published on September 7, 2022 6:45 pm