Karnataka Minister Umesh Katti died due to cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday night. The Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Forest was 61 years old. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.According to news agency PTI, Katti collapsed in the bathroom of his Dollar’s Colony residence in Bengaluru and was rushed to the hospital. He had no pulse when he was brought to the hospital. The Karnataka government has declared a day of state mourning on Wednesday. A funeral with full state honours has been announced.
No entertainment programs will be held by the state on Wednesday and the national flag will be at half-mast on all government buildings.Born in Belladbagewadi in Hukkeri taluk of Belagavi district, Katti was eight-time MLA from Hukkeri assembly constituency. He entered politics following the demise of his father Vishwanath Katti in 1985.Before joining the BJP in 2008, Katti was with the Janata Party, Janata Dal, JD(U) and JD(S). He had earlier served as a minister in the Cabinet headed by J H Patel, B S Yediyurappa, D V Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar.His mortal remains will be taken by an air ambulance to his home district of Belagavi, from where it will be taken to Hira Sugar Factory in Sankeshwar for public to pay their last respects.The body will be later shifted to Katti's native village of Belladbagewadi in Hukkeri taluk, where the last rites will be performed in the evening.