Jaipur, May 16: Amid a sombre mood, the mortal remains of former Vice President and thrice Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat were consigned to flames with full state honours here today.
As priests chanted vedic hyms, Shekhawat’s grandsons — Vikramaditya Singh and Abhimanyu Singh– lit the funeral pyre at the Vidhyadhar cremation ground.
A police contingent reversed arms and later fired in the air as a mark of respect to the departed leader hailed as the doyen of Rajasthan politics.
A police band played melancholy tunes as family members, relatives, friends, admirers and leaders across the political spectrum bade adieu to Shekhawat, affectionately called “Babo Sa”.
Vice President Hamid Ansari, BJP leaders L K Advani, Nitin Gadkari and Arun Jaitley and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot were among a large number of dignitaries who attended the funeral.
–Agencies