Lalu’s elder sister dies

PATNA: A day after RJD chief Lalu Prasad was sentenced to threeand-a-half years in jail in a fodder scam case, he suffered a personal loss when his elder sister, Gangotri Devi, passed away after suffering a massive heart attack.

Sources said Gangotri, aged 75, was praying for her brother for the last few days and apparently felt sick before she suffered the heart attack early on Sunday.

“She was on fast for the last few days. It is apparent she suffered a big setback when Laluji was sentenced.

RABRI DEVI WAS ALSO IN TEARS AND DID NOT INTERACT MUCH WITH THE MEDIA.

She took ill and died in the morning,” said Lalu’s close aides.

Former chief minister Rabri Devi, younger son and leader of the opposition Tejashwi Prasad, and former health minister Tej Pratap, rushed to Gangotri Devi’s residence on the Bihar Veterinary College premises where she lived with her family.

A widow, Gangotri Devi is survived by her three children, including son Rudal Yadav. Her husband, Jagdhari Choudhary, died a few years ago. Tejashwi said it was a big personal loss for the family. He said he rung up the jail superintendent in Ranchi, where Lalu is lodged, to convey the news. “But the jail superintendent did not pick up. We are trying to send Laluji the message,” he said. Rabri Devi was also in tears and did not interact much with the media.

Asked whether a parole application would be moved for Lalu in view of the death in the family, Tejashwi replied in the positive.