Vijayakanth laid to rest with full state honours at DMDK HQ after thousands pay homage

Chennai, Dec 29 (PTI) Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam founder-leader and top yesteryear Tamil action star, Vijayakanth was on Friday laid to rest here with full state honours after tens of thousands of people paid their last respects.

Mourners lined up on both sides of the roads as the decorated truck carrying the mortal remains crawled its way in a procession from Island Grounds near Marina beach to the premises of the DMDK headquarters at Koyambedu.

In several places, from roof-tops and flyovers, people showered petals and garlands on the truck.

It took well over three hours for the truck to traverse a distance of about 10.7 kilometers to reach the burial site on the DMDK's office premises. Following a gun salute, a two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect.

Chief Minister M K Stalin, State Ministers, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and celebrities were in attendance.

Vijayakanth's wife Premalatha, his sons Vijaya Prabhakaran and Shanmuga Pandian were consoled by the leaders.

Stalin removed his shoes before entering the space earmarked for state honours and conduct of last rites, and laid a wreath accompanied by senior DMK leaders like T R Baalu and Ministers including K N Nehru, Ma Subramanian and Udhayanidhi Stalin.

In a mark of respect to the departed leader, the Chief Minister touched twice the wreath he placed in front of the coffin.

"Friend, you will live in our hearts forever," Stalin said.

Rajinikanth said though crores of men and women live and die in this world, it is only a few like Vijayakanth and people of his ilk live forever in the hearts of people.

After Vijayakanth's family members performed the last rites, the coffin, made of sandalwood was buried in the designated space amid chants of 'captain' and 'veera vanakkam' (valourous salute).

The words 'Puratchi Kalaignar (revolutionary artist) Captain Vijayakanth' was embossed on the coffin.

While only a limited number of people were allowed inside the space earmarked for burial, countless men who gathered outside shone torches on their mobile phones as a mark of respect.

Notably, several police personnel touched the feet of Vijayakanth and they said it was him who brought honour to the uniformed personnel by essaying the role of honest police officer in movies.

Following Vijayakanth's death on December 28 morning, thousands of grief-stricken admirers visited his residence, the DMDK office and the Island Grounds to pay their last respects.

Since the crowd became unmanageable, authorities shifted the venue of homage to the government owned sprawling Island Grounds and from December 29 morning, people gathered there to pay homage. Crowds spilled on to the nearby flyovers and alleys as thousands waited to bid adieu to Vijayakanth.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accompanied by BJP Tamil Nadu Chief K Annamalai paid last respects at the Island Grounds.

Film personalities including top stars Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan paid homage. Vijayakanth, who had been ill for about five years, passed away after battling against pneumonia.

He had been a successful action hero for about three decades after his initial successes in early 1980's. He founded the DMDK in 2005. The Greater Chennai Corporation passed a resolution allowing burial of Vijayakanth on the premises of DMDK headquarters. Though the burial was originally scheduled to be held at 4.45 pm, it was delayed as mourners turned up continuously and it was completed at 7.10 pm. PTI