Hyderabad, October 10: K Balagopal, well-known human rights activist who died last night, was cremated at the Hindu Smashan Vatika at Punjagutta in the city today.
Hundreds of friends, admirers and even those who opposed him ideologically but loved him personally, were all there to bid adieu to him. Almost everybody had a moment to recall his ventures as a human rights activist, journalist and lawyer.
“It seems he knew his end was nearing. On October 3, he asked his friend VS Krishna to take over his post of general secretary of the Human Rights Forum. He told them that he was having difficulty in coping up with various responsibilities,’’ JV Ratnam, a fellow rights activist and journalist from Visakhapatnam, said.
Baladeer Gaddar, revolutionary writer Varavara Rao, educationist Chukka Ramaiah and director B Narsinga Rao who worked with him on several issues in his 25-year-old fight for human rights, expressed their grief and vowed to take forward the uncompleted goals taken up by Balagopal. People from faraway places such as as Kakinada, Ongole, Srisakulam and Adilabad rushed to the city soon on hearing the news.
Balagopal was also popular among students of different organisations and universities for his honest approach towards rights activities.
“If he believes in things you are doing, he will be there even if you would not ask him. His presence itself gives you a lot of moral support,’’ recalled J Srinivas, a research scholar from the University of Hyderabad.
People waited for more than two hours at the Smashan Vatika even as a funeral procession was taken out from his house at Priya Colony in Mehdipatnam. A condolence meeting is being organised on October 12 at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram.
–Agencies–