Sambalpur: Senior journalist Ratan Kumar Pani died of cardiac arrest late Monday night at his Bareipali residence here. He was 52. Pani is survived by his wife Mina Dash and son Mayank.
Sambalpur MLA Raseswari Panigrahi, BJD district president Pramod Kumar Rath and other political leaders condoled the sudden death of the journalist and offered floral tribute to his body.
Meanwhile, experts from VIMSAR reached his residence in the morning and harvested his retina according to the wish of the deceased scribe. Pani had also signed a pledge form to donate his organs. Accordingly, the family would hand over the body to the anatomy wing of VIMSAR in the afternoon, it was learnt.