The body of the Vasanthakumar, who represented this town in the southern tip of the country in the Lok Sabha, was lowered into a burial pit in a family owned farm at Agastheeswaram here, after his two sons performed the last rites.

Congress and BJP leaders K C Venugopal and Pon Radhakrishnan respectively and Kanyakumari District Collector Prashant M Wadnere were among those who paid homage.

Earlier, Vasanthakumar's body, brought to his home here late Saturday night from Chennai, was kept for the public to pay their last respects.

Both his residence and the burial place teemed with localpeople, functionaries belonging to various political parties, friendsand relatives who paid tributes to the late leader.