Kodiyeri will be cremated on Monday at Payyambalam Beach in the presence of national CPI(M) leaders Sitaram Yechuri and Prakash Karat.
Published Oct 02, 2022 | 8:45 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 02, 2022 | 9:03 PM
Thousands pay their last tributes to Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in Thalassery on Sunday, 2 October, 2022. (Supplied)
Thousands of people from different walks of life paid rich tributes to CPI(M) politburo member and former Kerala home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan when his mortal remains were placed for public viewing at the town hall in Thalassery in the Kannur district of the state on Sunday, 2 October.
A tall Communist leader with an illustrious political career, Kodiyeri breathed his last at Chennai’s Apollo Hospital late on Saturday night following acute cancer and multiple organ failure. He was 68.
His body was taken to his home district Kannur in an air ambulance on Sunday.
From Kannur airport, the body was taken to Kodiyeri’s native Thalassery in a funeral procession attended by thousands of party cadres and sympathisers.
The ambulance that carried the body stopped for public viewing at 16 different locations.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Cabinet colleagues paid their last respects as soon as the body reached the town hall, which had witnessed the oratory skills of Kodiyeri many times.
CPI(M) leaders pay tributes to Kodiyeri Balakrishnan at Thalassery Town hall (KB Jayachandran/South First)
CPI(M) leaders draped the body with the party’s red flag as a mark of respect.
A police team conducted a customary gun salute to the former home minister.
On Monday morning, the body will be taken to his local residence.
At noon, it will be taken to Azhikodan Mandiram, the CPI(M) district committee office in Kannur.
Public viewing would be permitted on both occasions.
The cremation will be held at Payyambalam Beach in Kannur in the presence of national party leaders Sitaram Yechuri and Prakash Karat.
