President of Motor Kamgaar Union (Bagodar Bus Stand) and CPI(ML) leader Bhuneswar Mistry passed away on the night of 31 July 2019 at RIMS Ranchi. After his death flags were lowered as a mark of respect and grief at the Motor Kamgaar Union office and Mahendra Bhavan in Sariya Road. Motor Kamgaar Union Secretary Yogeshwar Sao said that Comrade Bhuneswar complained of chest pain on 28 July. After initial treatment at Hazaribagh he was admitted to RIMS Ranchi where he died at around 11 pm.
Born in 1953 at Manjhiladih in Bagodar, Bhuneswar Mistry was a driver by profession. For the last 37 years he had a passenger vehicle which he used to ply from Bagodar to Banaso via Vishnugarh. In the 80’s under the leadership of Mahendra Singh he organized drivers of small vehicles at Bagodar Bus Stand, who were being considerably harassed by the police. Thus the Motor Kamgaar Union was born and Comrade Bhuneswar remained its President for his entire lifetime. Credit is given to him even today for the vehicle rules instituted from Bagodar for vehicles plying in all directions.
The sudden demise of Bhuneswar Mistry brought deep grief to all small-vehicle drivers in and around Bagodar Bus Stand. Hundreds of drivers and travel agents gathered at the Union office, paid silent tribute to their leader and then walked to his home in Manjhiladih. Plying of vehicles from Bagodar on all routes was suspended for the day. CPI(ML) leaders and activists who participated in his final journey included MLA Rajkumar Yadav and many others. His cremation was held at the Jamuniya crematorium where his son Narayan Mistry lit the funeral pyre. Motor Kamgaar Union Secretary Yogeshwar Sao and other leaders spoke of Comrade Bhuneswar’s dedication to the values of the Union and said that his loss leaves a void which cannot be filled. On receiving news of his demise, the CPI(ML) All India Cadre Workshop at Kolkata (31 July-1 August) observed 2 minutes’ silence and tributes were paid by General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, former MLA Vinod Singh, District Secretary Manoj Bhakt and others.
