Anjani: Thousands of people on Tuesday bid a tearful adieu to R R Patil as the former Maharashtra deputy chief minister was cremated here with state honours.
Those present at the NCP leader’s native village to pay their last respects included Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, former CM Prithviraj Chavan and social activist Anna Hazare besides several leaders across parties and many of Patil’s former cabinet colleagues.
Thousands assembled at the cremation site and shouted slogans “R R Patil Amar Rahe” as his son Rohit, accompanied by Patil’s two daughters –Smita and Supriya– lit the funeral pyre.
The body of Patil, who died in Mumbai after a prolonged battle with cancer, was brought here Tuesday morning and taken to his residence. It was later taken to the agricultural produce market committee where thousands of people, including several women offered their last respects.
The funeral procession began from the Chowk area and the vehicle carrying Patil’s body reached the helipad ground, near which the last rites were performed.
The government has declared a day’s mourning in the state today as a mark of respect for the departed leader. Leaders including Pawar and Fadnavis met Patil’s mother, wife, children and other family members and consoled them.(PTI)
