Veteran Congress leader Girija Vyas passes away at 79 due to burn injuries

Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Girija Vyas, who suffered burn injuries on March 31 while performing aarti at her home here, has died at a hospital in Ahmedabad, her family said on Thursday. She was 79.

Vyas's brother, Gopal Sharma, said that she succumbed to burn injuries at the Ahmedabad hospital on Thursday evening.

The Congress leader was performing an aarti during which her dupatta caught fire from a burning lamp and suffered critical burn injuries. She was rushed to a private hospital in Udaipur, where she was referred to Ahmedabad.

Her funeral will be conducted in Udaipur on Friday, Sharma said.

Vyas was a prominent Congress leader who served as a minister in both the state and central governments. She was also the PCC chief.

She also served as the chairperson of the National Commission for Women.