Mangalore : BV Kakkillaya, veteran freedom fighter and a renowned Communist leader of the region, passed away in Mangalore in the wee  hours of June 4, Monday. He was 93.

Kakkillaya who was ailing since some time due to age related health problems  had been hospitalized on May 23. He is also learnt to have been suffering from brain haemmorhage.

Kakkillaya is  survived by his four sons including Dr Srinivas Kakkillaya, a physician in Mangalore, Dr  Venkatakrishna Kakkillaya (USA), Dr Harish Kakkillaya (USA) and Dr Suryanarayana (UK).
BV Kakkillaya also a former Rajya Sabha member (1952-54)and a former MLA from Bantwal and Vittal, had held several strategic positions in the Communist Party of India and was also a well-known trade union leader.

Hailing from Bevinje in Kasargod district, he  was an alumnus of St Aloysius College in Mangalore. He actively took part in the  students  movement during India’s struggle for freedom, and later plunged into All India Students’ Federation.

The last Kakkillaya was seen at a public function was on May 18   during a protest organized by the CPI in front of the DC office demanding the arrest of a student Vittal who was arrested on charges of Naxal links.