Chennai, February 20:Well-Known evangelist preacher D G S Dhinakaran, who founded the Jesus Calls Ministry and was hailed as a ‘miracle healer’, passed away this morning after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, a son and three grandchildren.

Admitted to a private hospital here following heart and kidney ailments, 74-year-old Dhinakaran died around 6.30 am. According to relatives, all his close family members were with him when he passed away.

Chief Minister M Karunandhi was among those who went to Dhinakaran’s house to pay last respects. Professing “deep shock” at the missionary’s death, he recalled how lakhs used to throng to his meetings to hear him speak.

“Today, he has departed leaving all those people in tears,” the Chief Minister said.

According to the website of the Jesus Calls Ministry, Dhinakaran had “a very tough life, torn by the ailments of poverty and agony of unemployment”.

On one occasion, in 1955, Dhinakaran even decided to end his life and was on his way to the railway tracks in his village to throw himself before a speeding train when he was stopped by his uncle who “introduced” Jesus Christ to him.

After that, “he experienced a sudden wave of divine peace and hope... His mind was transformed and he returned home enlightened. After this incident, things started happening in him supernaturally,” says the website.

When Dhinakaran started the Jesus Calls Ministry, it was a one-man outfit. But it gradually grew and drew followers from across the world, “irrespective of their caste, creed, race or language”.

According to the website, Dhinakaran has “healed” people with illness and revealed the past, present and future of followers.

The mortal remains of the evangelist would be kept for public homage at the Royapettah YMCA grounds in the city and the funeral services would be held on the same premises at 10 am on February 22, said David Emmanuel Raj, press co-ordinator of the Jesus Calls Ministry.

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