Ajit Jogi, 74, finally loses battle for life after 16-year struggle

Wheelchair-bound former bureaucrat-turned-politician suffers cardiac, goes into coma; ends comes at around 3:30pm; last rites at his village Gaurella in undivided Bilaspur district on Saturday

Chhattisgarh’s first Chief Minister Ajit Pramod Kumar Jogi, who had been wheelchair-bound for last 16 years, passed away Friday afternoon following cardiac arrest.

The 74-year-old former bureaucrat-turned-politician was admitted to a private hospital here on May 9 following complaint of respiratory problem that was followed by cardiac arrest. He was in coma since then.

“He suffered another cardiac arrest this afternoon and could not be revived,” doctors attending on him said. Jogi breathed his last at around 3:30pm. The last rites would be performed at his native village Gaurella in undivided Bilaspur district on Saturday.

A pall of gloom descended over the state