SHIVAMOGGA: National Award winning Sandalwood actor ‘Sanchari’ Vijay was laid to rest with full state honours at his home village Panchanahalli, in Kadur taluk of Chikkamagaluru district, on Tuesday. Vijay succumbed to injuries sustained in a road accident in Bengaluru on Monday. Doctors declared his death at 3.34 am Tuesday. The 37-year-old actor was brain dead on Monday, following a head injury during an accident, when he was heading home with his friend on Saturday night, and their motorcycle skidded.
His family had come forward to donate his organs. Seven people were beneficiaries of Vijay’s organ donation. The last rites were performed as per Veerashaiva tradition, by interring his body in his friend Raghu’s farm around 3.15pm. Kuppur Yateeshwara Shivacharya Swami and Madalu Niranjana Swami led the rituals. Vijay’s brothers Virupaksha and Soddesh performed the rituals. The police fired three rounds in the air as a mark of respect to the departed actor.
Police limited the presence of people, keeping in mind Covid-19 guidelines. People from neighbouring villages gathered at the village. Minister Madhuswamy, MLCs C T Ravi and Belli Prakash, former MLA YSV Datta, director Mansoore, BS Lingadevaru, actor Neenasam Satish and others were present.
Meanwhile, the US Consulate in Chennai expressed condolences in Kannada and English. In a tweet, the consulate said, “Our condolences to the family and fans of Kannada actor #SanchariVijay. In 2018 we met at the National awards in Chennai for the #Pride month screening of his award-winning film Nanu Avanalla Avalu, a story about the struggles the LGBTQi+ community encounters with identity. #RIP.”