Rajkumar death: One person killed in police firing

Bangalore, Apr 13 (UNI) One person was killed when police opened fire to quell frenzied fans of the late Kannada matinee idol Rajkumar who threw stones at police and passing vehicles, even as the body of the deceased thespian was proceeding on its last journey.

Police had a difficult time quelling the surging fans and resorted to lathi charge and lobbed teargas shells on several occasions to disperse them. The mob set on fire a petrol bunk and attacked several vehicles close to the venue.

Police opened fire at Basaveshwara circle after lathi charge and lobbing of teargas shells failed, even as the hearse was on its way to the Kanteerava Studio for the last rites.

At the Kanteerava Stadium, where the body was kept since last night to enable the public to pay tributes, fans indulged in stone pelting, torched three BMTC buses and damaged more than 20 vehicles, including a police van.

More than 25 people, including police personnel, sustained injuries in stone pelting. The mob targeted the police and attacked them whenever they came to chase the fans away.

Rajkumar's sons Shivraj and Raghavendra repeatedly appealed to the fans to maintain peace and not to resort to violence or damage public and private property. But their pleas went in vain.

Though the family members had requested the last rites be entirely a family personal, thousands of people thronged the Studio and took position at vantage spots, hours before the last rites could start.

Apart from the family members, including Mrs Parvathamma Rajkumar, those present at the Studio were former Railway Minister C K Jaffer Sharieff, former Chief Minister S Bangarappa and several cine field celebrities.

UNI MV-MSP VK-GD SB KP1646