Tamil Nadu minister Karuppasamy dead

Tamil Nadu Minister C Karuppasamy died of cancer at a private hospital in Chennai on Saturday.

The 57 year-old two-time minister is survived by his mother, wife and two daughters.

Karuppasamy is the second mnister in the Jayalalithaa-led cabinet to die while in office. Another minister Mariam Pichai was killed in a road accident soon after the April 13 polls, even before he could take oath as a Member of the Tamil Nadu assembly.

The hospitalised Karuppasamy, also AIADMK's organising secretary, was a minister without portfolio. The Youth and Sports Welfare portfolio earlier held by him had been entrusted to School Education Minister C V Shanmugam after Karuppasamy was hospitalised.

Karuppasamy had represented Sankarankovil (SC) constituency from Tirunelveli district in the 234-member state assembly.