Sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra's two sons die within days of their father's demise

The two sons of eminent sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra died of COVID-19 within days of their father succumbing to the infection, family sources said. Raghunath Mohapatra, a former Rajya Sabha member who was conferred with Padma Vibhushan, died at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar on May 9 while undergoing treatment for COVID-19, they said.

His younger son Prasanta Mohapatra, a former captain of the Odisha's Ranji Trophy cricket team, died of the infection at the same hospital on Wednesday, they added.

The sculptor's eldest son Jashobanta Mohapatra, who was shifted to the SUM Covid Hospital from AIIMS on Wednesday in a critical state, succumbed on Thursday despite the best efforts of the medical team, they hospital said in a statement.