KOZHIKODE: Kannadikkal bid a tearful farewell to its beloved son, Arjun, as his body was brought home and cremated on the family premises. The funeral rites began around 11.20 am, with a large crowd gathered, waiting for hours to catch a final glimpse of him.
Hundreds paid their last respects before Arjun's body was taken to the pyre. By 11.45 am the last rites were completed, and his brother, Abhijith, lit the pyre. Among those present were numerous public figures who came to honour his memory.
Arjun's body was recovered on the 72nd day after he went missing following a massive landslide at Shirur on July 16. The tragedy occurred along NH 66 when Arjun's lorry was swept into the depths of the Gangavali River. His mortal remains were handed over to his family on Friday evening. Manjeswaram MLA A K M Ashraf and Karwar MLA Satish Sail accompanied Arjun's relatives on the journey back to his hometown.
Crowds gathered along the route to pay their respects, from the Thalappadi check post on the Kerala border to Kasaragod and Kannur. The body was received at the Kozhikode district border by Minister A K Saseendran, MLA K K Rema and District Collector Snehil Kumar.
The funeral procession reached Pooladikunnu around 7.30 am, and finally arrived at Arjun's house in Kannadikkal by 9.30 am, escorted by both Kerala and Karnataka police. Karwar MLA Satish Krishna Sail, Manjeswaram MLA A K M Ashraf and diver Ishwar Malpe accompanied the mourners to the house, where Minister K B Ganesh Kumar also paid his respects.
During the hour-long public homage at Amaravati, the house that Arjun himself built, hundreds came to bid farewell. The sight of Arjun's three-year-old son, Ayaan, who had been waiting for his father with hope, moved everyone to tears. His wife, Krishnapriya, sisters Anju and Abhirami, mother Sheela and father Preman were devastated as they saw Arjun's lifeless body. His lorry owner, Manaf, was also present, offering his last respects with tear-filled eyes.
