NABARANGPUR/BHUBANESWAR: The top leaders of the BJD were present at Umerkote where party MLA Jagabandhu Majhi, gunned down by unidentified killers on Saturday, was cremated on Sunday.
The body of Majhi was taken in a procession from his residence to the funeral ground in Jharigam road where the last rites were performed.
Those present included Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, BJD Rajya Sabha member Pyarimohan Mohapatra, Law Minister Bikram Arukh, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare Minister Lal Bihari Himirika, Minister for Information Technology Ramesh Majhi, Koraput MP Jayram Pangi, Nabarangpur MP Pradip Majhi, president of Nabarangpur district BJD Jaydeb Parida and MLAs from the undivided Koraput district.
As a mark of respect to the slain tribal leader, who represented Umerkote Assembly constituency since 2009, shops and business establishments remained closed and passenger buses were off the roads in many areas of the district.
The 39yearold MLA and his PSO P K Patro were shot dead and another person was seriously injured in the attack at Gona village while Majhi was distributing land 'pattas' among tribals.
The body of the PSO had been brought to the district headquarters on Saturday night. He was accorded guard of honour by armed forces. Later his body was taken to his village, Kosagumuda and consigned to flames.