Bal Thackeray's mortal remains consigned to flames

Mumbai, Nov 18: The mortal remains of Bal Thackeray were consigned to the flames at Shivaji Park in Dadar here today. His son Uddhav lit the funeral pyre around 6.15 p.m after the Mumbai police gave a 21-gun salute.

Earlier in the day, the Shiv Sena supremo's hearse was brought out from his residence Matoshree. Lakhs of people followed the cortege as it slowly moved forward. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray was among those who walked behind the cortege.

At 3.15 p.m, the funeral procession reached Sena Bhavan. A host of luminaries from the fields of politics, films and business had by then made their way towards Shivaji Park.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, BJP veteran LK Advani, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, industrialist Anil Ambani,BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Maharashtra PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Bollywood actors Nana Patekar and Sanjay Dutt were all present at the funeral venue.

After the people paid their final respects to the departed soul, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray together performed a portion of the last rites. The latter broke down when the former lit his father's pyre.

OneIndia News