Hearse carrying Chandy's body to travel 140 kms to Kottayam takes 28 hrs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The hearse carrying the mortal remains of two time former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy which left his house in the state capital on Wednesday reached his home district Kottayam traversing 140 kms in 28 hours as lakhs of people waited for hours braving the sun and rain along the MC Road.

The hearse was able to travel only at a snail’s pace as people young and old and women of all ages waited during the night to have one last glimpse of OC as he was popularly known.Intense scenes were witnessed with people crying. The most unforgettable scene was witnessed in the wee hours of Thursday as the hearse was reaching Changnacherry, when a middle aged man and his young son were running alongside the hearse pleading that they be given one chance to see the departed leader at close quarters. After much pleading, the hearse stopped and the two were allowed entry into the vehicle to see Chandy lying in state.

The first destination in his home district was Thirunakara Ground, where Chandy delivered so many political speeches.

And when the body was taken out from the hearse and carried to a podium thousands of people waiting there for the past one day broke into tears. The Who’s Who of Kerala were there to receive the body, including ministers, political party leaders, superstars Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, retired top bureaucrats. The next stop is his ancestral residence at Puthupally and then the St George Orthodox Church next door to his home