IMPHAL, August 18: Yaiskul MLA Elangbam Suraj Singh was killed in a car accident at Nijammuddin in New Delhi in the wee hours today at 1:45 am, while his friend who was driving has been admitted at the Max Hospital, New-Delhi.
According to a family member, his dead body will be brought into the state capital Friday morning at 11:20 am by a special Indigo flight.
Meanwhile, according to an official source, the body of the dead MLA will be received at the Imphal airport by family members and various state cabinet ministers.
The body will be taken directly to the Congress Bhawan at BT Road where a team of Congressmen including the state Chief Minister in charge Th Debendro, family members and supporters will pay floral tributes to the departed soul.
The body will be further taken into the state assembly complex and accorded with final respect by the ministers and officials of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.
Further according to the official source, the body will taken to his home and the last rites will be performed according to religious beliefs.
Meanwhile, while narrating the incident of the accident a source has stated that a Tata Sumo rammed into the Santro car on which the MLA was traveling with his friend driving.
The Sumo reportedly rammed into the Santro from the passenger’s side killing the Congress MLA on the spot, while the driver escaped with serious injuries. While, Suraj was rushed to the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, his friend identified as only Rushi has been admitted at the Max hospital with a broken collar bone.
Rushi has been identified as a friend of the MLA since his St Stephen`s time. He is said to be the owner of a hotel in the national capital.
Further according to a family member, the MLA had left for the national capital along with other members of the committee of estimate of the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 4 on a study tour.
The MLA, who is chairman of the committee, had decided to stay back at New Delhi for some personal work while the other members had returned back home after the end of the tour.
Meanwhile, according to reliable sources, the MLA had dinner with some close friends on the fateful night and had dropped off two of his friends at Mayur Vihar. He met with the accident at Nijammuddin area while coming back after dropping his friends who are reportedly husband and wife.
Meanwhile back home, Elangbam (o) Neeta wife of the deceased MLA has been unconsolable since hearing about the death of her husband.
Breaking down in front of the MPCC president Gaikhangam who came in with a condolence letter in the morning today, she cried out, “What should I do now? I haven’t spoken to him and I don’t want to see his dead body”.
Among the visitors dropping in at the MLAs residence this morning includes the Chief Minister and his family, speaker I Hemochandra, MLAs Jayentakumar, N Loken, Th Mangi and RK Anand (opposition) among others.
Suraj is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.
The MLA was elected to the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly on INC ticket. During his college life in St Stephen’s college, Suraj had captained the college football team in 1986. He had also represented Delhi University football teams in 1986 and 1987.
In the year 1987, he was also awarded with the Best Player award trophy in the Zakir Hussain Inter-college tournament.
Born on March 11, 1965 Elangbam Suraj Singh had also represented Delhi in the U-19 National Dr BC Roy trophy at Pondicherry in 1982.
Meanwhile, it may be added that it is barely one and a half years since his election as Yaiskul MLA from the bye-election which was held on December 19, 2009 after the death of his father Elangbam Kunjeswzr on September 17, 2009 had left the Yaiskul seat vacant.