Veteran actor Krishna's eldest son Ghattamaneni Ramesh Babu died of illness here on Saturday night. According to reports, the actor suffered from liver ailments and breathed his last while on the way to the hospital.

"It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved Ghattamaneni Ramesh Babu garu. He will continue to live on in our hearts forever," announced his family in a statement.

The family had also urged the fans of the actor to adhere to Covid-19 norms and avoid gathering at the crematorium.

Ramesh Babu's body was shifted to the mortuary and will be taken to his home on Sunday morning.

Born on October 13, 1965, Ramesh Babu is the elder brother of popular actor Mahesh Babu. The 56-year-old star, who made his acting debut as a child artist in his father's biographical actioner Alluri Seetarama Raju (1974), turned lead actor with Samrat (1987). He acted in 15 films, with his last film being Encounter (1997), also starring Krishna.

Ramesh turned producer with the Hindi film Sooryavansham (1999) and went on to produce four Telugu films with Mahesh, including Arjun (2004), Athidhi (2007), Dookudu (2011) and Aagadu (2014).

The actor's sudden death came as a rude shock for the Telugu film fraternity and his hundreds of fans. Many, including his co-actors and technicians, rushed to the hospital to pay their homage.