The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Confusion over place for keeping thespian's body

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 13, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Confusion over place for keeping thespian's body

Staff Reporter

It was shifted from Palace grounds to Poornapragna School and then to Kanteerava Stadium

A SON'S GRIEF: Shivrajkumar, son of Rajkumar, seen with his father's body at Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore on Wednesday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Bangalore: Scenes of spontaneous grief were witnessed in the city on Wednesday. Crowds began gathering outside M.S. Ramaiah Hospital by 2 p.m. soon after news about the death of Rajkumar spread. By this time, the body of the thespian was readied to be shifted to his Sadashivanagar residence.

Tens of thousands of shocked and grief-stricken fans followed the ambulance carrying the body to his residence.

By the time the mortal remains reached Sadashivanagar, there was an uncontrollable crowd, many in a frenzied state. While some were allowed inside, the police were soon forced to put up barricades and push the crowds back.

This angered a section of the crowd who shouted "Annavaru belongs to us, we should not be stopped from having a last glimpse of him".

Many tried to shove the police personnel. On several occasions, the police had to clear the crowds away from the gates but they soon surged back and refused to budge. Many entered neighbouring compounds and attempted to scale the walls. Many forced their way onto rooftops of surrounding buildings just to have a look at what was happening inside the actor's house.

Dr. Rajkumar's body was kept on a cot in a basement room. People were allowed to file past a window outside the room; only a few such as the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, his son and Chief Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, actors Upendra, Sudharani and Murali (a relative of Rajkumar), Srinath and actor and MP Ambarish were allowed inside the room.

All the rooms and even the large compound of the actor's house were packed with jostling crowds with more people outside the gates, when an ambulance was brought to take the body to Palace Grounds. The plan then was to have the body lying in state for public viewing and his fans to pay their last respects. The crowd parted for a while to allow the ambulance inside the gates. Crowds had to be cleared for the body to be placed inside the vehicle. The ambulance moved out around 4.30 p.m.

Mr. Rajkumar's youngest son Puneeth Rajkumar, who was watching from a balcony of the house, appeared most stricken with grief and could not be consoled easily.

This made the thronging fans become more emotional and they ran towards the ambulance. The ambulance finally had to move with the back doors open.

The police diverted traffic away from the Cauvery cinema junction up to Mehkri Circle underpass to allow the ambulance go to Palace Grounds. But some vehicles with mourning fans kept following and they had to be stopped at hastily put up barricades.

This angered a section of the mourners who began throwing stones at vehicles parked outside the grounds.

The police then decided to direct the ambulance to the premises of Poornaprajna School in Sadashivanagar. At that stage, the disappointed crowd began pelting stones on police and private vehicles and some buildings near the road.

At this stage the police decided the only suitable location for Dr. Rajkumar's body to be kept was Kanteerva Indoor Stadium. The confusion over pre-funeral arrangements is believed to have provoked some of the violence witnessed.

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