KOCHI: ‘Neeranjanam,’ the home of N Ramachandran, stood draped in haunting silence, resembling the stillness of the northwestern Himalayas, where he met his end. Even the wind seemed to mourn; not a single leaf stirred in the sorrow-laden air. Grief hung heavy over the house as relatives, neighbours and friends gathered in stunned silence, their faces etched in pain.
Throughout the day, a steady stream of visitors, including members of the public and local representatives, arrived to pay their respects. They offered words of comfort to the grieving family, stood silently in solidarity, and departed with hearts weighed by loss.
Ramachandran’s cousin Dr Induchoodan told TNIE that Arathy (Ramachandran’s daughter) informed him of the tragic news over phone. “It was unbearable. Arathy somehow managed to escape with her children — it was nothing short of a miracle,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion.
Sharing details of the funeral, he added, “The body will be kept for the public to pay homage at Changampuzha Park on Friday morning. Later, close relatives will be given a chance to pay their last respects at his home, following which the cremation will take place at the crematorium in Edappally.”
Dhanesh, a neighbour, shared his anguish, “The horror unfolded right in front of Arathy’s eyes. We can only imagine the trauma she is enduring. All we can do now is pray for her and the entire family.”
Angel, another Edappally resident and friend of Ramachandran, recalled their frequent meetings in town. “He was always kind and warm. It broke my heart when I heard the news. As elders say, it’s always the good ones who leave us too soon.” Speaking of his political affiliations, Angel said Ramachandran had once contested as a BJP district council candidate in 1992, though he hadn’t been actively involved in recent years.
Sasi Kumar, a neighbour and secretary of Changampuzha Park, recounted their last meeting. “We spoke on Sunday, just before he left for his trip. None of us could have imagined it would be our final conversation,” he said, visibly shaken.
Ramachandran’s body brought to Kochi
The body of N Ramachandran, 65, who lost his life in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, was brought to his hometown of Kochi on Wednesday night.
The body was flown to Kochi airport and was received by his family and a host of public representatives. The body was then moved to the mortuary at Renai Medicity, Palarivattom.
The mortal remains will be placed at Changampuzha Park, Edappally, on Friday from 7am to 9am for the public homage. The body will then be taken to his residence at Mangattu Road by 9.30am
Following the final rites, the cremation will take place at 12pm at the crematorium in Edappally
The funeral was scheduled for Friday to enable Ramachandran’s brother, who is travelling from the US, to attend it.
