Kottayam : Tens of thousands poured in to pay their last respects to Oomen Chandy as his mortal remains were laid at Thirunakkara maidan. Prominent film personalities like Mamooty, Suresh Gopi MP, Dileep, Kunchako Boban and others too arrived to pay homage there.
The floraled bus carrying Oomen Chandy’s casket set out from his residence in the capital Wednesday morning 7 am and steered 28 hours through streets jammed with waiting crowd to reach Thirunakkara. Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Rajiv Chandrasekhar, Governor Arif Muhammad Khan and Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose were also among arrivals to pay the leader their last respects.
The funeral procession left Thirunakkara at 2:30 and reached his ancestral house at Puthupally by 4:30 pm.
The body was laid for homage at the ancestral home and new house under construction. Public homage continued as body was shifted to Puthupally church for funeral services where Basilios Marthoma Mathews II Catholicos would officiate the ceremony. As per wishes of the late leader and his family, state honours were being exempted before final resting.
