Mangal Munda, the great-grandson of tribal icon Birsa Munda, has died of cardiovascular failure in Ranchi after sustaining severe injuries in a road accident. He was 45.
Munda, who had been receiving treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), passed away at 12:30 AM on Friday. According to RIMS Medical Superintendent Dr. Hiren Birua, Munda had been on a ventilator after falling from the roof of a passenger vehicle in Khunti district on November 25.
“He had critical head injuries, including blood clots on both sides of his brain. Despite surgery and our best efforts, he did not survive,” Birua said, as quoted by PTI. Munda was transferred to RIMS on Nov. 28 from Khunti’s Sadar Hospital.
Munda had been in critical condition since the accident, which resulted in serious brain trauma. Doctors performed surgery on him on Tuesday, led by Dr. Anand Prakash, head of the Neurosurgery Department at RIMS.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren condoled the death. In a post on X, he said, “I am deeply saddened by the news of the demise of Mangal Munda, who was undergoing treatment at RIMS.”
“May heavens grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this difficult time of grief,” he added.
Soren, along with his wife and legislator Kalpana Soren, visited the hospital on Wednesday to inquire about his health.
Birsa Munda, a prominent freedom fighter, was born in 1875 in present-day Jharkhand. He is remembered for his role in mobilising tribal communities against British colonial rule. He died in British custody at the age of 25. Jharkhand, the state that now stands in his honour, was created on his birth anniversary, November 15.