Chengara agitation leader Laha Gopalan dies

Laha Gopalan, former leader of the famed Chengara land agitation in this district, succumbed to COVID-related complications at a hospital here on Wednesday.

He was 72 and was under treatment at the general hospital here after testing positive for the virus recently, sources close to him said.

The leader was suffering from some other health issues also, they added.

A retired employee of the Kerala State Electricity Board, Gopalan was one of the front line leaders, who had spearheaded the Chengara land agitation here in its initial phase for landless people to reclaim estate land belonging to Harrisons Malayalam Limited, a corporate major.

He also led several agitations for the rights of dalits and tribals in the state, which had grabbed national attention.

Gopalan had been keeping himself away from public life for some time owing to health issues.