HC grants kin permission to attend Kanshi Ram's funeral

New Delhi, Oct 9 (UNI) Refusing to stay the cremation of Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) founder Kanshi Ram, the Delhi High Court today allowed his brother and sister to participate in the last rites of the departed leader at Nigambodh Ghat in the Capital.

Justice S N Agarwal directed the petitioners --sister Swarn Kaur and brother Harbans Singh-- to rush to the cremation ground so that they could participate in the cremation.

The High Court directed the state to provide police protection to the relatives during the last rites as they were apprehending violence.

''The mortal remains of Kanshi Ram would be cremated as scheduled and the petitioners are permitted to participate in the last rites at Nigambodh Ghat. Police protection to the petitioners may be provided,'' said the order.

The Court said Kanshi Ram did not die an unnatural death on the intervening night of October 8-9, so there was no need for a post mortem.

The state counsel submitted that Kanshi Ram was ailing for quite some time and had been provided with treatment at the All India institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS) and a private hospital.

The petitioner had sought court direction to the BSP president Mayawati and the state for a judicial probe, a post mortem examination as well as permission to participate in the last rites.

The relatives of Kanshi Ram were earlier not allowed to meet the ailing leader by Ms Mayawati and other party leaders.

The mother, brother and sister had earlier filed a petition in the High Court seeking direction to meet the ailing leader, whose one part of body was paralysed after a stroke.

The Court had given permission to the relatives to meet the leader at his residence where he was recuperating after his discharge from the hospital.

UNI PAT PA DB1822