With patriotic slogans in the air and a sea of humanity in witness, Kerala on Friday gave a heroic farewell to N Ramachandran, one of the 26 tourists who were shot dead by terrorists in Kashmir. He was cremated at public crematorium at Edappally in Kochi – his home town – with full state honors.
A 65-year-old expatriate, Ramchandran had returned to the state from UAE four years ago to spend his sunset years here and was on a holiday to Kashmir with his wife Sheelam daughter Arathi and her two children when the attack occurred. His body, which was kept at a hospital morgue after being flown from Srinagar Wednesday, was brought to Edappally’s Changampuzha park, where thousands flocked to pay their last respects.
Kerala governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Goa governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, Union Minister Suresh Gopi, State Minister P Rajeeve and Opposition leader VD Satheesan led the mourners Friday.
The body was eventually taken to his house, where his wife Sheela and daughter Arathi — who were also part of the ill-fated trip to Kashmir – bade him an emotional goodbye.
Fighting back tears and with raised fists, both Sheela and Arathi chanted the slogan “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, in front of the flower-strewn body of Ramachandran. Workers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party, who were present at the home, gave adieu to the departed soul by singing gana geetham (prayer song).
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