Veteran trade union leader Sanjeev Kanti Bakshi, popularly known as S.K. Bakshi, died on Sunday at the age of 84 while returning to Jharia from The Mission Hospital in Durgapur.

Bakshi was the former national vice president of Central Industrial Trade Union.

On April 9, Bakshi was admitted to the central hospital of BCCL. He was rushed to Durgapur on Saturday night after developing breathing complications.

Party workers place a party flag on S.K. Bakhshi's body at Amlapada in Jharia on Sunday. Shabbir Hussain

A funeral procession was taken out on Sunday from his home at Amla Para in Jharia to Mohalbani ghat on the bank of river Damodar in Bhowra where his cremation took place.

In 1964, Bakshi became the Dhanbad district committee convenor of CPI (M). He joined Central Industrial trade union as an executive committee member in 1970 and gradually climbed the political ladder to become its national secretary and vice president.

Party workers and supporters at a funeral procession of S.K. Bakshi. Shabbir Hussain

Bakshi was a member of Coal India Relief Fund Trust and a member of Joint consultative committee of BCCL.

S.N. Tiwari, director (P&IR/M), of Coal India Limited, in a condolence letter said, “Coal Industry has lost today an important and dedicated trade union member who always raised the issue of welfare of workers of coal industry at various levels.”

Family members at his home at Amlapada, Jharia. Shabbir Hussain

A.K. Jha, National Vice President of Indian National Trade Union Congress, said, ”He was the last trade union leader of his rank and file and his demise has left a void in trade union politics which is going to be difficult to fill up.”