Haren Pandya's father dead

Vithalbhai Pandya — the father of the slain former Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Haren Pandya — who had been fighting a political battle against Chief Minister Narendra Modi almost single-handedly, died here on Saturday. He was 82.

Mr. Pandya had been hospitalised, ailing from pneumonia. He suffered a heart attack.

He had held Mr. Modi responsible for his son's murder and had publicly demanded a fair trial against the Chief Minister. He had also briefly joined hands with the Congress, and unsuccessfully contested the 2007 Assembly elections with its support on the anti-Modi plank.