KOTTAYAM: CPM Kottayam district secretary and CPM state committee member A V Russel died here on Friday. He died while undergoing treatment for cancer at the Apollo Hospital in Chennai. He was subjected for a surgery and died while getting ready to return home. He was 64.

He was elected as the district secretary for the second time at the Kottayam district meet held recently at Pampady. Russell was the gentle face of the Left in the district. He had established close ties with leaders from various sections, beyond party politics. He became a member of the state committee from a place like Changanassery where the CPM did not have strong roots and had good relations with party members from the grassroots.

Russell took charge as the district secretary when Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan was contesting the Lok Sabha elections and to the assembly. He first became the district secretary in January 2022.

He was district panchayat member from 2000 to 2005. He had contested the assembly election from Changanassery in 2006.

Ruseel is the son of A K Vasappan of Perumbanachi in Changanassery and P Syama. He leaves behind his wife Bindu, daughter Charulatha and son-in-law Alan Dev.