Puneeth Rajkumar's last rites to be performed on Sunday, says CM Bommai
Thousands pay tributes to late Kannada star Puneeth Rajkumar in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Oct 30: As thousands of grieving fans continue to flock the Kanteerava stadium here on Saturday to pay their final respects to Kannada film star Puneeth Rajkumar, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the last rites of the actor will be performed on October 31.
The late actor's family and the government had earlier planned to perform the last rites this evening, once his daughter, who is in the US, reaches the city.
"Puneeth's daughter has reached Delhi and is travelling to Bengaluru and may reach the city by about 6 pm. Secondly, there is lot of crowd here (Kanteerava Stadium) and many people wish to see him for one last time, also after 6pm when it will be dark it will be difficult to perform last rites there (Kanteerava studio)," Bommai said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said keeping all this in mind and after discussing with Puneeth's elder brothers Shivarajkumar, Raghavendra Rajkumar and other family members, it has been decided to conduct the last rites tomorrow.
"So we have made an opportunity for more people to pay their last respects till tomorrow morning. I appeal to his (Puneeth's) fans to pay their last respects with patience and by maintaining peace, as there is time till tomorrow morning," he said.
Considered as the Kannada cinema's reigning star, Puneeth, youngest of the five children of thespian and matinee idol Dr Rajkumar, passed away at the age of 46, after suffering a cardiac arrest on Friday.
Requesting fans to cooperate with police as there is enough time, the CM said, "Police personnel are here for us and to see to it that things go on in a disciplined way, they too are our people and are fans (of Puneeth)."
"Everyone should cooperate in maintaining peace and order... timing of the last rites will be decided late night, depending on the situation and will be informed," he added.
Puneeth's elder brother and actor Raghavendra Rajkumar too thanking fans for cooperation so far, clarified that last rites will be during the first half tomorrow.
"As Appu's (as Puneeth is fondly called by fans) elder daughter was in New York for studies, there is some delay in her arrival. As the last rites cannot be performed after dark, we will decide on the timing of the last rites tomorrow, late in the night today, once she arrives. We are aware that you (fans) are also in pain," he said.
The state government has made arrangements for all Puneeth's fans to pay homage, he further said as he sought their cooperation until the last rites tomorrow.
Mortal remains of the actor, wrapped in the national tri-colour, have been kept at the Kanteerava stadium, to enable fans and well-wishers to pay tributes. A steady stream of people from across the state have been pouring into the arena since last evening.
Several film and political personalities have paid their respects to the departed soul.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accompanied by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and other ministers of the state cabinet, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, former CM S M Krishna, pontiffs of various mutts paid their respects today. Leading South Indian film stars such as N Balakrishna, Chiranjeevi, Junior NTR, Venkatesh, Arjun Sarja and ace choreographer Prabhu Deva also paid their tributes to the Kannada actor.
"The feeling is like losing a son of our house," a tearful elderly woman fan said here.
"Our Appu might have physically gone, but he will remain with us through his acting and the impact he has left on us because of his good and friendly nature," said a young fan.
The government has announced that Puneeth's last rites will be conducted with state honours at Dr Rajkumar Punyabhoomi in Kanteerava Studio, next to his father and mother.
According to official sources, the mortal remains will be taken in a procession for about 13 km from Kanteerava stadium to Kanteerava studio.
The late actor is survived by wife Ashwini Revanth and daughters Drithi and Vanditha.
The CM's repeated appeal for peace comes in the backdrop of the large-scale violence that took place in the city, following the death of Puneeth's father Dr Rajkumar in 2006.
"ಶ್ರೀ ಪುನೀತ್ ರಾಜಕುಮಾರ್ ಅವರ ಅಂತ್ಯಕ್ರಿಯೆಯನ್ನು ನಾಳೆ, ಅಂದರೆ ಭಾನುವಾರ, ಅಕ್ಟೋಬರ್ 31ರಂದು ಮಾಡಲು ತೀರ್ಮಾನಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಎಲ್ಲ ಅಭಿಮಾನಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಅಂತಿಮ ದರ್ಶನಕ್ಕೆ ಅವಕಾಶವಿದ್ದು, ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಸಂಯಮದಿಂದು ವರ್ತಿಸಿ, ಶಾಂತಿ ಸುವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಗೆ ಸಹಕರಿಸಬೇಕು"#PuneethRajkumar
— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) October 30, 2021
Daughter of actor Puneeth Rajkumar has reached Delhi (from US) & will arrive in Bengaluru by 7 pm today. As per our tradition, we don't perform funeral after sunset. His last rites will be performed at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru tomorrow: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai pic.twitter.com/RrFEJyYv4Q
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2021
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Woman, 2 sons found dead in Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): Three members of a family were found dead inside their home in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji on Friday, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, officials said.
Police said the incident came to light around 2.47 pm when a police team reached the premises to execute a court order related to possession of the property. When repeated knocks went unanswered, the staff used a duplicate key to open the door.
Inside, officers found Anuradha Kapoor (52) and her sons, Ashish Kapoor (32) and Chaitanya Kapoor (27), hanging from the ceiling, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said in a statement. All three were declared dead.
A handwritten note was recovered from the room, suggesting the family had been struggling with depression.
"The handwritten note indicates emotional distress faced by the family due to which the family may have taken the extreme step," the officer said.
The bodies have been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) mortuary for post-mortem and other legal formalities under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), police said.
Residents of the neighbourhood said they were shocked to learn about the deaths, adding that the family kept largely to themselves.
Pankaj Kashyap, a resident of Girinagar, said he learnt about the deaths while leaving for work. "I live and work here and was leaving for work when I saw many people standing outside and talking. That is how I got to know that three people had committed suicide. I also saw several police vehicles outside, but I do not know much beyond that," he said.
Baldev, another neighbour, said the family had been living in the newly constructed house for around two years. "We only knew that a mother and her two children lived there. They had moved into the newly built house around two years ago. We did not interact much with them. Today we heard that all three have committed suicide, and whatever we know is based on what people here are saying," he said.
Another neighbour, Ramesh Kumar, claimed the family had earlier attempted suicide.
"About fifteen to twenty days ago, the two sons in the family had attempted suicide and police and ambulances had come. That was when I first got to know who they were. I do not recognise them by face, but we saw the ambulances and police take the two sons that day. Today again we saw ambulances and police arriving, so everyone came out to see what had happened. I do not know how long they had been living here, but this is all we know," he said.
Police said they are examining the family's financial condition, social circumstances, and other factors that may have contributed to the incident. Further investigation is underway.
