The country is paying rich tributes to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa who passed away on Monday night in Chennai’s Apollo Hospital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew down to Chennai on Tuesday and paid floral tributes her floral tributes. Flanked by Governor Vidyasagar Rao, Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Pon Radhakrishnan and others, Modi placed a wreath on the body which was lying in state at Rajaji Hall.
Clad in white, an emotional Modi, who enjoyed a good personal equation with the late AIADMK leader, consoled Chief Minister O Panneerselvam who broke down. Modi also spoke to Jayalalithaa’s close confidante Sasikala
#WATCH: PM Modi pays his last respects to #Jayalalithaa at Rajaji Hall in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/Wass8nxUpv
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 6, 2016
However, lakhs of supporters of Jayalalithaa mourned her death and expressed their tributes:
#WATCH Coimbatore: AIADMK supporters mourn the death of #JJayalalithaa, who passed away last night after a cardiac arrest pic.twitter.com/au9eaXfFMx
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 6, 2016
Police had to resort to lathi-charge to control the crowds:
#WATCH: Police resorts to mild lathi-charge outside Rajaji Hall in Chennai as huge crowd gathers to pay their last respects to #Jayalalithaa pic.twitter.com/yXqcWMm7Mg
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 6, 2016
Supporters mourned her death:
#WATCH: Supporters in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) shave their heads in mourning after #Jayalalithaa‘s demise pic.twitter.com/BBaGFsRZyF
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 6, 2016
Shops and offices remained closed:
Her supporters outside Tamil Nadu also expressed tributes:
(Feature image source: PTI)
(With inputs from PTI)