Manju Sinha's body consigned to flames

Patna, May 15 (UNI) The body of Manju Kumari Sinha, the wife of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was consigned to flames at the Pahalwan Ghat on the bank of the Ganges this afternoon.

Amid chanting of religious hymns, the couple's only son Nishant lit the pyre in presence of a large gathering, including the Chief Minister himself.

Among the dignitories present on the occasion were JD(U) President Sharad Yadav, state Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhury, state Legislative Council Chairman Arun Kumar and most of the ministers, besides senior representatives of all political parties and top government officials.

At around 1500 hours her body was taken to the Pahalwan Ghat in on a flower bedecked truck from the Chief Minister's official residence at Anne Marg in a long silent procession. Thousands of people from all walks of life accompanied the procession. Before reaching the ghat, Ms Sinha's body was taken to the Kamala Nehru Government Girls' High School where she worked to enable the students and teachers to pay their last respect.

In the morning her body was brought here from New Delhi by an Indian flight.

Ms Sinha(55), suffering from acute pneumonia for long, died at a private hospital in New Delhi last night where she was admitted on May one.

UNI