CPM ex-MLA dies at 74

Coimbatore: CPM ex-MLA KC Karunakaran died of age-related illness in the district on Friday night. He was 74. His wife had died of age-related illness a few months ago and since then he was in depression. He is survived by son Mahesh and daughter Semmalar.
Karunakaran had represented the Singanallur assembly constituency from 2001 to 2006 and was the state executive member of the party for the past 23 years. He had also served as the CPM district secretary from 1997 to 2001.
A former employee of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, he was involved in a protest to support the Kadamparai electricity board staff. He led the protest that was staged at the district collectorate. Karunakaran was arrested by police and lodged in Pollachi sub-jail for a month.
During the emergency, he was hiding to evade the arrest. He had attended a party’s youth meeting held in Moscow in Russia.
The body was kept at the party office for the cadre and public to pay homage. Later, it was cremated at Papanaicken Palayam.tnn