New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS): The body of deceased Arya Samaj leader and social crusader Swami Agnivesh will be kept at the Bandhua Mukti Morcha (BMM) office on Saturday to allow the public to pay their final respects, albeit adhering to COVID rules, said Professor Vithal Rao Arya, his close associate and former general secretary of Bandhua Mukti Morcha.

"He will be placed at Bandhua Mukti Morcha office from 11 AM to 2 PM for the final public tributes. We request all our friends to pay their last tribute by following Covid rules," he added.

Agnivesh died after suffering a cardiac arrest at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences on Friday evening. The hospital attempted to revive him for 30 minutes before declaring Agnivesh dead at 6.30 pm. "On Friday, his condition deteriorated and he went into cardiac arrest at 6:00 PM. Resuscitation was attempted but the stalwart passed away at 6.30 pm. We join the country in mourning the loss of this beloved leader," the hospital said in a statement.

The social activist was admitted at the ILBS on Tuesday. He was critically ill and suffered from liver cirrhosis and had been on ventilator support since Tuesday owing to multi-organ failure. His condition deteriorated on Friday.

The 80-year-old reformer was a former MLA from Haryana. He had founded a political party, Arya Sabha, in 1970, that was based on the principles of the Arya Samaj. He was also an advocate of dialogue between religions.

Agnivesh was involved in various areas of social activism including campaigns against female foeticide and women's emancipation. He was a prominent associate of Anna Hazare during the India Against Corruption campaign run in 2011 to implement the Jan Lokpal Bill.