UP cabinet minister succumbs to COVID-19

Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Kamal Rani Varun, who was undergoing treatment for being tested positive with coronavirus at a Lucknow hospital, succumbed to the disease on Sunday morning. She was 62.

62-year-old Kamal Rani Varun, minister of technical education in the state government, was admitted to a Rajdhani COVID hospital on July 18. Rani was an MLA from Ghatampur constituency in Kanpur. Rani was also a member of the 11th and 12th Lok Sabha.

"The condition of minister deteriorated after infection in the lungs. She was put on a life support system. Despite the best efforts of doctors, she passed away on Sunday," said Director PGI professor Radha Krishna Dheeman.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the demise of the minister and tweeted, "Kamal Rani Varun respected public aspirations as a minister. As a minister, she made a commendable contribution in efficiently discharging departmental functions".