Former Bengal minister Pratim Chatterjee dead

Kolkata: Former West Bengal minister Pratim Chatterjee, who held the Fire Services portfolio for 15 years till 2011 during the Left Front regime, passed away on Sunday following a cardiac arrest, family sources said.

Chatterjee, 79, a widower, is survived by daughter Kuheli Ghosh.

The end came at a private hospital in Salt Lake at around 10 a.m.

The former minister, also State Secretary of Forward Bloc-Marxist, represented Tarakeswar Assembly seat for a long time. He was, however, defeated in the 2011 Assembly polls.

Besides his political activity, the culturally-oriented Chatterjee acted in a number of plays and films.

He was also an internationally known diamond appraiser.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has condoled the death of the Left leader.

"Saddened at the passing of former Minister of Bengal, Pratim Chattopadhyay. Condolences to his family and well wishers," she tweeted.