Karunanidhi laid to rest besides his mentor and former CM Annadurai

DMK patriarch and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was laid to rest besides his mentor C.N. Annadurai on the sands of Marina beach here on Wednesday after his party clinched a midnight legal battle as lakhs of commoners wept, pushed and jostled for space to bid adieu to their leader, causing a stampede that killed two mourners and injured many.

After a two-hour funeral procession covering a distance of less than 3 km headed by the late leader’s son and DMK Working President M.K. Stalin wound its way from Rajaji Hall to the Marina shores, the tri-colour wrapped body with his trademark black shades and yellow stole still in tact was interred in a freshly dug grave with soldiers giving him a state funeral with full military honours.The national flag flew half-mast and all government functions were cancelled.

As Karunanidhi’s body on a flower-decked military vehicle began its last journey from Rajaji Hall, thousands of teary-eyed followers lined up on both sides of the road to Marina, shouting slogans hailing the departed leader for his services to the poor and the downtrodden.

In keeping with his rationalist beliefs, Karunanidhi’s body in a sandalwood casket was lowered into the earth without religious rituals. As per his wish, the wordings — “The person who had worked without rest is resting here” — were sculpted on the casket. All the top politicians in the country including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Azad and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien joined the top party leaders, including 95-year-old DMK General Secretary K. Anbalagan, and members of Karunanidhi family at the burial site.

Two people were killed and several injured in a stampede outside Rajaji Hall where thousands of DMK supporters had gathered to get a glimpse of M Karunanidhi. The police resorted to lathicharge after failing to control the crowd. Minor scuffles broke out between police personnel and supporters who thronged Rajaji Hall to pay their last respects to Kalaignar.

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