Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC) DMK councillor Alapakkam K Shanmugam died due to a heart attack on Monday, August 7. The councillor fainted while participating in former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s memorial procession on Monday morning and suffered a severe heart attack. Media reports suggest that he had previously undergone an open heart surgery.
Shanmugam was the elected councillor of ward 146 in GCC’s Valasaravakkam zone. He was also a member of the standing committee for health in the corporation and was a member of the District Executive Committee (south Chennai). Last rights are to be held at his residence in Alapakkam on Tuesday, August 8, at 10 am.
Chief Minister MK Stalin in a statement said that he was shocked to learn of the death. “My deepest condolences to the family members and party members who are mourning the loss of the man who contributed significantly to the growth of the party iin Maduravoyal,” he said.
Shanmugam is the second DMK councillor to have died this term. Sheeba Vasu (ward 122) from DMK passed away in February 2023. Nanjil Eshwar Prasad (ward 156) from Congress had also died during this term in November 2022, due to ill health. While bypolls in ward 122 and 156 are to be held in September, the bypolls for ward 146 is likely to be held towards the end of this year, Deputy Mayor Mahesh Kumar told TOI.