IFFCO chief cremated

Abohar (Ferozepur), Jan 18 (PTI) The mortal remains ofIFFCO chairman Surinder Jakhar, who died of gunshot wounds athis farmhouse here yesterday, were consigned to flames at hisnative village this afternoon.

Family members, relatives, friends, political leadersand admirers bid a tearful adieu to Surinder, son of Congressveteran and former Madhya Pradesh Governor Balram Jakhar.

The funeral was held at village Panjkosi in Abohar,the native place of the Jakhar family, in Punjab''s Ferozpurdistrict.

The last rites were performed by Surinder Jakhar�sson Sandeep, a youth Congress leader.

Shops, commercial establishments and educationalinstitutions were closed in Abohar as a mark of respect to thedeparted soul.

Earlier, a number of political leaders from Punjab,Haryana and Rajasthan, bureaucrats and people from all walksof life paid their last respects to the IFFCO chairman at hisancestral house.

They included Union Minister Mahadev Singh Khandela,Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Haryana CM BhupinderSingh Hooda and Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Fiftysix-year-old Surinder Jakhar, the second of thethree sons of Balarm Jakhar, was killed yesterday when hispistol went off accidentally while he was cleaning it at hisfarmhouse in Abohar.

Police said the pistol went off accidentally andthere was no foul play.

The family, in a statement to the police, said hewas killed in an accidental fire from his pistol at hisfarmhouse in Maujgarh village.

Survived by his wife, a son and a daughter, Surinderwas associated with the cooperative movement for nearly threedecades.