Kerala former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was laid to rest at the St George Orthodox church at his native place Puthuppally in Kottayam district late on Thursday night after a two-day funeral procession that witnessed the participation of tens of thousands of people.
The funeral procession that began from Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday morning reached Kottayam town by around 10 am on Thursday, around 15 hours behind the schedule owing to the massive crowd along the 140 kilometre stretch.
The body was kept at Thirunakkara ground in the town before being taken to the church by night.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar, and senior leaders including A K Antony were present at the funeral.
People were seen running along the moving vehicle carrying Chandy's body to have a last glimpse of their leader. People, including women and children, thronged the stretches for hours even in the odd hours to pay homage to Chandy during his final journey. People from distant districts also came to Kottayam to bid farewell to the leader. Congress workers raised emotional slogans throughout the funeral procession.
As wished by Chandy, who was a two-time Chief Minister of Kerala, customary state honours were avoided during the funeral. Malankara Orthodox Syrian church head Baselious Marthoma Mathews III led the funeral prayers that was attended by heads of other Christian denominations also. A special tomb was made for Chandy near that of priests at the church premises.
Chandy, who was under treatment for cancer, died in Bengaluru on Tuesday.