THRISSUR: Even as the body of CPM branch secretary PU Sanoop was kept in the mortuary of the Government Medical College Hospital in Thrissur, his hometown of Puthussery is yet to recover from the shock. The life of 26-year-old, who lost his parents at a young age, had always been for the party. An accessible leader for everyone beyond party lines, Sanoop has left behind a legacy of compassionate politics in his panchayat.
Being an active presence in DYFI’s ‘Hridayapoorvam,’ the free food project for patients and their bystanders at the MCH and other initiatives during the deluge in 2018 and Covid-induced lockdown, Sanoop has had a lasting impact on many souls.“Since the beginning of project in 2017, Sanoop has been the mainstay in our activities. He was a very down-to-earth person. He ensured the availability of ‘pothichor’ from Chowannur panchayat all the time. Even when he breathed his last, he was on his way to arrange the meals for Monday,” Anoop P B, Thrissur district secretary, DFYI.
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Starting from his high school days, the construction worker was an ‘all-in-all’ presence in every event in the area. “By the age of 18, he secured fulltime party membership and became the branch secretary at a very young age. Hailing from a marginalised background, he dedicated his whole life to the party. We have been receiving calls from several expats who were in touch with Sanoop constantly for the Hridayapoorvam project,” said Anoop.
It was his passion for helping others which pushed his fellow comrades to keep their word by distributing the food packets to around 2,000 people at the hospital on Monday. By 11am, the vehicle carrying the meals collected from his colony and areas nearby left for the MCH under the aegis of the DYFI Chowannur panchayat unit. Apart from distributing food, 47 members donated blood to the patients too. “Amid deep pain and anguish, DYFI workers distributed the meals among patients and their bystanders as it was his last wish, for which he had been running around on Sunday,” said K D Praveen, DYFI Kunnamkulam block secretary.