The father of former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar died early on Friday, reports said. Jaishankar Singh had been hospitalised in Begusarai district last month, where he passed away, according to dna. Reports have not confirmed what caused his illness.

Kumar’s parents had condemned his arrest in February, following a rally held at JNU against the hanging of Parliament attacks convict Afzal Guru. He had been arrested on charges of sedition.

Kumar has taken on the Bharatiya Janata Party in several statements following his release from jail in March. Earlier this week, he told IANS that he has been advocating a coalition of Opposition parties to challenge the ruling BJP.