In a shocking development, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's younger brother Ashim Banerjee has passed away on Saturday at the age of 60 in Kolkata due to the COVID-19 virus complications. Several leaders have paid their tributes to the deceased and solaced the Chief Minister, who recently had assumed the office for the third consecutive time. 

Ashim Banerjee was getting treated at Medica Superspecialty Hospital in Kolkata. Dr Alok Roy, the chairman of the hospital said that Ashim Banerjee had tested positive for the COVID-19 viral infection and was undergoing treatment. He breathed his last in the morning hours of Saturday. 

The reports say that he was tested positive for the viral infection last month and was hospitalized since then. His last rites will be conducted on Saturday afternoon as per the Covid protocols. West Bengal had reported 20,846 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the state's total caseload to over 10.94 lakh. The state has also recorded 136 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours. 

On Friday, the Union Health Ministry has said that West Bengal is one of the 12 states that account for 79.7 per cent of India's total active cases. The demise of Mamata Banerjee's brother has come when the state government has announced a complete lockdown for 14 days. The lockdown will come into effect from tomorrow and will be in place till May 30. 

West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said that the government is taking some strict measures to contain the pandemic starting Sunday 6 am till 6 pm of May 30. All offices will remain closed during the lockdown and only essential services will be allowed. The movement of private vehicles, taxis, buses, metro rail, suburban trains will not be allowed during the lockdown. 

In the last 24 hours till Saturday morning 8 am, India has added 3.26  lakh new COVID-19 cases, taking the total cases in the country to 2.43 crore. The country has also recorded 3,890 deaths due to the global pandemic during the last 24 hours.