Nepal mourns as Koirala's body cremated

Shirish B Pradhan
Kathmandu, Mar 21 (PTI) Thousands of mourners Sunday
paid their last respect to five-time former Nepal prime
minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who was cremated here with
full State honours at the banks of Bagmati river as per Hindu
rituals.
In an unusual religious practice, the 85-year-old
leader's only daughter Sujata Koirala, seen as his political
heir, lit the funeral pyre.
Nepalese army band played the national anthem.
Earlier, the body of Koirala, a close friend of India,
arrived in a procession to Aryaghat, Pashupatinath area after
passing through Sundhara, Ratnapark, Bag Bazar, Dilli Bazar,
Maitidevi, Old Baneshwor, Battisputali and Gaushala.
A high-level Indian delegation, including Lok Sabha
Speaker Mira Kumar, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, attended the funeral.
Besides, many other Indian political leaders including Sitaram
Yechuri from Communist Party of India-Marxist were also
present.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, Deputy Premier
Bijaya Gachchhadar, ministers, Maoist chief Prachanda, leaders
of various political parties, members of Parliament, diplomats
and intellectuals were also present at the funeral.
The gathering was so much that police resorted to
baton charge at Aryaghat to disperse the crowd and control the
situation. Many people shaved their head to mourn the death of
their leader. MORE PTI SBP

KAB


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