West Bengal: Former Sikkim Minister's Body Found In Siliguri Canal

SILIGURI: In a tragic discovery, the body of Sikkim minister R C Poudyal was recovered from a canal situated near Siliguri in West Bengal, the cops informed on Wednesday.

The lifeless body of R C Poudyal, aged 80 years, was found floating in the Teesta Canal at Fulbari on Tuesday just nine days after he went missing.

"Prima facie, it is suspected that the body might have been brought down by the Teesta river from upstream. The identification was made through the watch and the clothes he was wearing," a police officer said.

The cops had earlier said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to trace the veteran politician after his mysterious disappearance from his hometown of Chota Singtam in Pakyong district on July 7.

A top cop stated that a detailed investigation to look into the circumstances surrounding his death will be initiated.

Notably, R C Poudyal happened to be the deputy speaker in the first Sikkim assembly and later, he went on to become the state's forest minister.

He founded the Rising Sun Party and emerged as an influential figure in the political landscape of the Himalayan state during the late '70s and '80s.

Poudyal was also well-known for his profound understanding of Sikkim's cultural and social dynamics.

Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang expressed his condolences over the death of the stalwart leader.

"I am deeply saddened by the sudden demise of the Late Shri RC Poudyal Jyu, a statesman and distinguished senior political leader who had served the Sikkim Government in various capacities, including as a minister, and was the leader of the Jhulke Gham Party," CM Tamang said.

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