Kolkata, July 12: Hindutva leader Tapan Ghosh, who had tested positive for COVID-19, died at a hospital on Sunday, his associates said. Ghosh, 67, was the founder of far-right group Hindu Samhati. He was admitted to a private hospital last week after he tested positive for COVID-19.

Tapan-da passed away this evening. He is survived by two sisters, Hindu Samhati president Debtanu Bhattacharya told PTI. A former RSS leader, Ghosh is the second politician in the state to die due to COVID-19. Last month, Trinamool Congress MLA succumbed to the contagion.

Condoling Ghosh's death, senior BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta said he was one of the most dedicated persons fighting for the unity of Hindus in West Bengal. He gave his life to this cause, inspiring thousands through personal example. He will always be remembered and provide constant inspiration. Om Shanti, Dasgupta, a Rajya Sabha MP, tweeted.

Ghosh, who has been a pracharak of the RSS since 1975, broke away from the organisation in 2007, following some ideological differences. Known for fiery speeches and often controversial remarks, he formed Hindu Samhati in 2008.

Formed with just a few hundred people, the organisation under his leadership spread to all districts of West Bengal, and also opened units in Jharkhand and Assam. Ghosh left Hindu Samhati in 2018, following some differences within the outfit.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)