VAIKOM: Prominent playwright Alathur Madhu (54) passed away on Thursday after collapsing in the yard of his rented house in Polassery. He had been ill for several years.

Madhu had won the state award for the best playwright for his play 'Archanappookkal'. He wrote 20 plays for theatre troupes such as Kollam Chaitanya, Tripunithura Surya and Cherthala Shailaja and they were all huge successes.

Madhu is survived by wife Erumeli Ambujam, children Archana and Gopika.