Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder Vijayakant was laid to rest with full state honours at the party headquarters in Chennai’s Koyambedu on December 29. Mr. Vijayakant died at a private hospital in Chennai on December 28 morning.
The actor-turned-politician, who was the Leader of the Opposition between 2011 and 2016, was buried after being placed in a sandalwood coffin at the DMDK headquarters with a 72-round gun salute.
DMDK leader ‘Captain’ Vijayakant’s last journey | updates
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin represented the State government along with many of his Cabinet colleagues. AIADMK leader D. Jayakumar, BJP leader Pon. Radhakrishnan, former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and Tamil Maanila Congress leader G.K. Vasan were among the political leaders who participated in the ceremony.
The body of the DMDK leader, which was kept at the Island Grounds for the public to pay their respects, was taken in hearse to the party headquarters. Only 200 persons were allowed inside the premises for the ceremony. Heavy security arrangements were in place for the funeral.
The funeral procession, which was to start by 1 p.m., finally left Island Grounds only at around 3 p.m due to large crowds visiting the venue to pay their respects to the “Captain”. As the hearse reached the burial site, crowds burst crackers and raised slogans to bid adieu to their leader.
The City Police, based on the advise from the family of Vijayakant, issued passes to 200 persons for the last rites. A large crowd of fans and party cadres waited outside the headquarters in Jawaharlal Nehru Salai and through out the route of the funeral procession on the Poonamallee High Road.
