BELAGAVI, DAVANAGERE, HASSAN, TUMAKURU: The last rites of the five people from Karnataka, who died in a helicopter crash in Uttarakhand were conducted in their hometowns on Monday. The remains had been brought to Bengaluru on Sunday after identification in the hill state.
The last rites of Police Inspector Arun Salunke, who was attached to the Central Crime Branch in Bengaluru, were held at their farm in his native village Aratal village in Athani taluk with government honours, as per Maratha tradition. His son Vallabh lit the funeral pyre. Senior police officers including CCB Chief Ajay Hilori paid their tributes,
The final honour was given by firing three rounds by the police department. Prior to this, the body which came from Goa via Athani route was brought to the village by thousands of youths through bike rally. Thousands of people along the route paid respect to Arun Salunke. After that arrangement was made for public final viewing in farm premises of village.
Arun’s friends, batch officers, villagers, school students paid final tribute. During final viewing, Arun’s daughter Deepa lit a lamp and performed other religious rituals. At this time gathered crowd became tearful. At same time officers who were working with Arun in department remembered Arun and shed tears.
The mortal remains of High Court advocate Sudheer Kakanur (49) were brought to native Tyavanagi village in Channagiri taluk of Davanagere district. On Sunday, Sudheer’s mortal remains arrived in Bengaluru from where it was brought to Tyavanagi village and the final rites were performed at their farm.
Gnanesh, a relative, said, “The body was completely in bad shape and identificaton was a Herculean task. We identified Sudheer from the chain onn neck, ring in hand and purse. Along with that, Sudheer’s brother,w who is a dentist, had put cap on a tooth a few months ago. When we mentioned about this to the officials, they agreed to hand over the body to relatives”.
Rajanhalli Valmiki Gurupeetha Prasannananda Puri Swamiji, who had final viewing, consoled the family members. The rituals were conducted by Sudheer’s elder daughter Hanshika.
Hundreds of people waited in villages all along Sakleshpur route for the final viewing of civil engineer Prathapa Gowda. Arrangements for final viewing were made in Sakleshpur also. The last rites were conducted at Bachihalli with hundreds of people in attendance.
Prathapa Gowda was active in Alur Sakleshpur assembly constituency area and Close ones and relatives paid their final tribute. The body was kept near Kempegowda statue for viewing, which he himself had helped financially and built. Thousands of people gathered in front of Kempegowda statue on BM Road of Sakleshpur town. MLA Cement Manju, former MLA H.M. Vishwanath and many others paid tributes.
Traders had voluntarily closed shops in Hettur village and paid homage. Before the last rites, wife Deekshita was seen sobbing on seeing the photo of husband Pratap Gowda.
The last rites of Shankaregowda and H S Nataraju were also held in Tumakuru district as per Vokkalika traditions. The bodies of bother were brought to Bengaluru by flight on Sunday night and arrived late night at Huliyurdurga.
H S Nataraju was originally from Huliyurdurga of Kunigal taluk and a rrangement was made for final viewing in Nataraju’s house on Haleyuramma Road of Huliyurdurga and in Shankaregowda’s house in Akkimaripalya. Relatives, friends and hundreds of villagers had final viewing.
Nagaraju’s last rites were conducted as per Vokkaliga tradition on Nataraju’s land behind Junior College and in Shankaregowda’s farm in Akkimaripalya.
Kunigal MLA Dr Ranganath, who visited both houses and consoled family members, said, “The helicopter used in Uttarakhand was very old and was not maintained properly. No rules and regulation were followed. Government there should consider this seriously”, he said.
