Agartala, Feb 23 (IANS): Paritosh Biswas, veteran journalist and the editor of Tripura’s first daily 'Jagaran', passed away at his residence here on Friday after a prolonged illness.

Biswas was 73 and is survived by his wife and son Sandip Biswas, who's also a journalist.

Biswas, who was suffering from kidney and related ailments for the past several years, became the editor of 'Jagaran' in 1981, and continued in the position till his last breath.

'Jagaran' was started as a Bengali daily published from Tripura in October 1954.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Jishnu Dev Varma, Tripura CPI-M Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury, and state Congress President Ashish Kumar Saha have expressed their grief over the demise of Biswas.

The Secretary in the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, P.K. Chakraborty, and its Director, Bimbisar Bhattacharjee, paid tribute to Biswas at his residence.

Agartala Press Club Secretary Ramakanta Dey said the entire media community in Tripura is deeply shocked over the demise of Biswas.

Biswas’ last rites were performed on Friday night at the Battala mass cremation ground here.