Kannada film star Puneeth Rajkumar’s last rites today, to be performed with full state honours

Puneeth Rajkumar, who died on Friday after a cardiac arrest, is survived by his wife Ashwini Revanth and daughters Drithi and Vanditha.

The last rites of Kannada film star Puneeth Rajkumar, who died after a cardiac arrest, will be performed on Sunday. Puneeth Rajkumar, the youngest of the five children of thespian Dr Rajkumar, passed away at the age of 46, after suffering a cardiac arrest on Friday.

Fans holding a poster of actor Puneeth Rajkumar gather outside Sree Kanteerava Stadium to pay their last respect in Bengaluru. (ANI Photo)

News agency PTI reported citing people familiar with the matter that the mortal remains of Puneeth Rajkumar will be taken in a procession for about 13km from Sree Kanteerava Stadium to Kanteerava Studio. His mortal remains, wrapped in the national flag, have been kept at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, to enable fans and well-wishers to pay tributes.

The government has announced that Puneeth Rajkumar's last rites will be conducted with state honours at Dr Rajkumar Punyabhoomi in Kanteerava Studio, next to his father Rajkumar and mother Parvathamma Rajkumar.

Also watch | Crying fans, posters across cities as Puneeth Rajkumar gets teary farewell

The late actor is survived by his wife Ashwini Revanth and daughters Drithi and Vanditha. His family and the government earlier planned to perform the last rites on Saturday evening, after his daughter, who is in the US, reaches the city.

"Puneeth's daughter has reached Delhi and is travelling to Bengaluru and may reach the city by about 6pm. Secondly, there is a lot of crowd here (Kanteerava Stadium) and many people wish to see him for one last time, also after 6pm when it will be dark it will be difficult to perform last rites there (Kanteerava studio)," Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Saturday.

Bommai said while speaking to reporters that keeping all this in mind and after discussing with Puneeth's elder brothers Shivarajkumar and Raghavendra Rajkumar and other family members, it has been decided to conduct the last rites on Sunday.

"So we have made an opportunity for more people to pay their last respects till tomorrow morning. I appeal to his (Puneeth's) fans to pay their last respects with patience and by maintaining peace, as there is time till tomorrow morning," he said.

Thousands of grieving fans continued to flock Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday to pay their final respects to Puneeth Rajkumar.

"Police personnel are here for us and to see to it that things go on in a disciplined way, they too are our people and are fans (of Puneeth),” the Karnataka chief minister said. Everyone should cooperate in maintaining peace and order... the timing of the last rites will be decided late night, depending on the situation and will be informed," he added.

Puneeth's elder brother and actor Raghavendra Rajkumar thanked fans for their cooperation. "As Appu's (as Puneeth is fondly called by fans) elder daughter was in New York for studies, there is some delay in her arrival. As the last rites cannot be performed after dark, we will decide on the timing of the last rites tomorrow, late in the night today, once she arrives. We are aware that you (fans) are also in pain," he said on Saturday, according to PTI.

Bengaluru witnessed large-scale violence following the death of Puneeth's father Dr Rajkumar in 2006.

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accompanied by Bommai and other ministers of the state cabinet, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, former CM SM Krishna, pontiffs of various mutts paid their respects on Saturday. Leading South Indian film stars such as N Balakrishna, Chiranjeevi, Junior NTR, Venkatesh, Arjun Sarja and ace choreographer Prabhu Deva also paid their tributes to the Kannada actor.

"The feeling is like losing a son of our house," an elderly woman fan was quoted as saying by PTI. "Our Appu might have physically gone, but he will remain with us through his acting and the impact he has left on us because of his good and friendly nature," a young fan said.

(With PTI inputs)