Jharkhand: Govt schools to remain shut on Tuesday in honour of Shibu Soren

Ranchi: All government schools in Jharkhand will remain closed on Tuesday in honour of former chief minister Shibu Soren, an official said. Several private schools across the state also have declared a holiday. Special prayers were held in many city schools on Monday in memory of the Rajya Sabha MP. "Classes in all government schools will be suspended on August 5 because of state mourning," School Education and Literacy Department Secretary Uma Shankar Singh said.

The state government has declared a three-day mourning in honour of Soren, the founder of the state's ruling JMM, who died at a hospital in New Delhi on Monday. The government has also cancelled all its scheduled programmes during the period, according to an official statement. All state government offices will remain closed on August 4 and 5, it said.

"The state government has decided to observe three days of state mourning from August 4 to 6 following the death of former chief minister and Rajya Sabha MP Shibu Soren this morning at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi," it added. The national flag will be flown at half-mast at all buildings across the state, the statement said.