BENGALURU/SHIVAMOGGA: The last rites of Bharat Bhushan and Manjunath Rao, who were shot dead by terrorists at Pahalgam in Kashmir, were performed with full state honours on Thursday.
Their mortal remains were flown to Bengaluru early Thursday. Emotionally charged scenes were witnessed as grieving family members broke down as Bharat’s wife, who was carrying their son, and Rao’s wife Pallavi R and their son Abhijaya stepped out of the airport. While the body of Bharat was taken to his residence in Mathikere, Rao’s was shifted to Shivamogga in an ambulance.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, LoP in the Assembly R Ashoka, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and other leaders paid their last respects to Bharat and consoled his family.
Hundreds of people, including friends and relatives of Bharat, attended the funeral.
Bhushan’s elder brother performed the last rites
Bharat’s wife Sujatha carried their three-year-old son Havish as she joined the funeral procession. Bharat’s parents, who suffer from age-related ailments, bade an emotional farewell. Bharat’s mother was informed about his death only after his was brought home. Bharat’s elder brother Preetham performed the last rites at Hebbal crematorium before cremation around 3 pm.
The state police fired three rounds in the air in honour of Bharat. Rao’s body reached Shivamogga from Bengaluru around 10.30 am. Thousands of people paid their last respects. As the ambulance carrying Rao’s body arrived, people raised slogans such as “Amar Rahe Amar Rahe Manjunath Amar Rahe”. They also raised slogans against Pakistan.
The body was received by Union minister Prahlad Joshi, district in-charge minister Madhu S Bangarappa, MP BY Raghavendra and other leaders. The cremation took place at the Rotary crematorium in the city. The flight carrying the mortal remains of the two tourists landed at KIA around 3.45 am. Thirteen members of the victims’ families also arrived by the same flight.