Tributes poured in following the tragic death of Mangal Munda, a great-grandson of Birsa Munda, the revered tribal leader and icon of the country, at his ancestral village in Khunti district on Friday.

Mangal Munda, eldest son of Sukhram Munda, the great grandson of Lord Birsa Munda, succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi on Friday. He had suffered severe head injuries in a recent road accident when the tractor he was traveling in overturned in Khunti on November 25.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, writing in the Olchiki (Santhali) script on X: “The demise of Mangal Munda, a descendant of Lord Birsa Munda, is deeply saddening. His loss is not just a blow to his family but to the entire tribal community of Jharkhand. May God give his family the strength to endure this pain. Om Shanti.”

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren also mourned the untimely loss of Mangal Munda. Visiting RIMS on Friday, he paid his respects by placing a wreath on Munda’s mortal remains. Soren offered prayers for the departed soul and extended condolences to the bereaved family, assuring them of full support from the state government.

Former Chief Minister Champai Soren also posted on X: “I am deeply saddened by the sad news of the demise of Mangal Munda ji, a descendant of Dharti Aba Bhagwan Birsa Munda. This is an irreparable loss for the tribal society of Jharkhand and the entire country. May Marang Buru grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the family to bear this loss.”

However, the tragedy sparked criticism from State BJP President Babulal Marandi, who alleged that Munda's death was a result of negligence in timely medical care.

In a statement on X, Marandi said, “The untimely demise of Mangal Munda, a great-grandson of Dharti Aba Bhagwan Birsa Munda, is deeply saddening and heartbreaking. The delay and challenges in providing treatment after his severe injury highlight the insensitivity of the current system.”

Marandi further alleged, “Despite his critical condition, he was not given a bed in the trauma center on time, and there was a delay of 10 hours in starting his treatment. The family had to spend Rs 15,000 out of pocket for medicines. This reflects the harsh reality faced by poor tribal families under the present administration.”

He described Munda’s death as more than just a tragedy, calling it “a murder by systemic failure.”

Mangal Munda was the eldest son of Sukhram Munda, Birsa Munda's great-grandson, who resides in Ulihatu village, Khunti district.