Retired IPS officer and former chief of the Bihar State Board of Religious Trust (BSBRT), Acharya Kishore Kunal, passed away on Sunday morning due to cardiac arrest, his family said. He was 74.
Kunal, a 1972-batch IPS officer, was also the founder secretary of the Mahavir Mandir Trust, which operates several hospitals in Bihar. He suffered a cardiac arrest in the early hours and was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead around 8 am.
His son, Saayan Kunal, and daughter-in-law, Shambhavi Chaudhary, an MP from Samastipur representing the LJP (Ram Vilas), were present at the hospital during his final moments.
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The body was later brought to his residence in Gusain Tola, Patna, where a large number of people, including state ministers, gathered to pay their respects. Prominent among them was Shambhavi’s father and state minister, Ashok Choudhary.
According to the family, Kunal’s cremation will take place on Monday at his native village in Hajipur, Vaishali district, at 2 pm.
Tributes from leaders
Bihar Governor Rajendra V Arlekar expressed grief, highlighting Kunal’s contributions to society through his work in the administrative and religious fields. “He did remarkable work for the society by combining religion with human service,” the governor said in a statement.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar praised Kunal as an “efficient and sensitive administrator” who worked tirelessly in social and religious organisations.
“He was also associated with various social and religious organisations. He carried out various social and religious works while holding the post of Secretary of Mahavir Mandir Trust Committee. He successfully performed his works while holding the post of President of Bihar State Religious Trust Board,” Kumar said.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary lauded Kunal’s efforts in giving Mahavir Mandir a national identity and for his work towards uplifting weaker sections of society. “His contribution is difficult to express in words. His demise is an irreparable loss to society. I pray to God to give peace to the departed soul and strength to his family to bear this grief,” Choudhary said.
Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav also expressed condolences, calling Kunal’s demise a significant loss in educational, religious, and social domains.