Thousands, including Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, movie stars Mammootty, Suresh Gopi and Dileep along with senior politicians cutting across party lines, paid tribute to former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy after his mortal remains reached Kottayam.

The funeral procession carrying the mortal remains of the departed leader set off from ‘Puthuppally house’ at Jagathy in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital, at 7.15 am on Wednesday witnessed a massive crowd lined up along the road to bid farewell to the late  Congress leader.

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The procession reached only at 11.15 am on Thursday at Thirunakkara maidan in Kottayam, taking 28 hours to cover 150 kilometres. Oommen chandy mourning Thirunakkara to Puthuppally funeral at Puthuppally for the massive crowd of mourners who thronged the route taken by the hearse considerably slowed down the journey.

Tens of thousands of people poured into Thirunakkara Maidan from across the state, giving a tough time for the police in crowd management. The police and Seva Dal workers of the Congress as well as its leaders could barely control the sea of humanity vying with each other to get a final glimpse of Chandy, who died in Bengaluru on Tuesday. People offered flowers, wreaths, and prayers as they got one last glimpse of Chandy.

Senior Congress leaders, Ramesh Chennithala, Vayalar Ravi, V D Satheesan, P C Vishnunath, T Sidhique, M Liju, Ministers V N Vasavan, Roshy Augustine, MPs Jose K Mani, Thomas Chazhikadan, Kodikkunnil Suresh and others have reached Puthuppally to participate at the funeral of the late leader. Rahul Gandhi is expected to participate at the funeral.

“People are giving back their love and affection to Chandy, who lived for them. People, including women and children with folded hands and weeping eyes, offered an unprecedented send-off to their leader. None of the political leaders had received such a kind of affection and warmth from the people,” said senior Congress leader KC Joseph

The funeral procession of the late chief minister reached his ancestral house in Puthupally  by 4.30 pm, after public viewing at Kottayam’s Thirunakkara Maidan.  Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai offered floral tributes to Oommen Chandy at his ancestral house. Tens of thousands of people   were seen waiting to catch a glimpse of their beloved leader at his house in Puthupally.

After offering prayers at his ancestral house, the funeral procession moved to this new house which is under construction. From there, Oommen Chandy’s body was taken for funeral at St George Orthodox Church in Puthuppally. The funeral of the late leader has been rescheduled to 8 pm on Thursday. His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, the head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, will officiate the funeral rites.