Lucknow | National secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) Atul Kumar Anjaan died in hospital here on Friday morning. He was 70.

According to his sister Ratna Singh, Anjaan had been suffering from cancer for several years and had earlier undergone treatment in Delhi.

He was being treated at a hospital in the Uttar Pradesh capital, she said, adding that he will be cremated in the afternoon.

Anjaan began his political career at the Lucknow University Students Union (LUSU) in 1977.

Leaders of several political parties and social workers expressed grief over his death.

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait remembered Anjaan as someone who fought for the interests of farmers.

"Received the sad news of the demise of brother Atul Kumar Anjaan ji, the national secretary of CPI and one who always fought for the interests of farmers. May God give strength to the family and well-wishers to bear the pain in this hour of grief and give a place to the noble soul at his feet," Tikait posted on 'X' in Hindi.

The national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union also shared a couple of pictures of him and Anjan.