Oomen Chandy Wanted Burial Without State Honours. Family To Fulfil Wish

Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who died on Tuesday had wanted a common man's burial, and accordingly, he will be laid to rest without state honours that are usually accorded to former chief ministers.

Mr Chandy's body will be buried in a special tomb built at his parish church in Kerala's Kottayam tomorrow, according to Christian rituals - without a gun salute and other ceremonial customs.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said that before his death, Mr Chandy had expressed to his family his wish to be buried like a common man.

"He wished for a common man's burial for him. His family is fulfilling that," Mr Chennithala told news agency PTI.

A government source said Mr Chandy's family had written to the chief secretary about his wish.

AICC secretary and MLA PC Vishnunath said the state government has accepted the request of the leader's family.

"It was Chandy sir's wish, and his family conveyed it to the government. The party also has no say in this matter as it was our leader's wish," Mr Vishnunath told news agency PTI.

Mr Chandy's son Chandy Oommen said that his father was "born as a common man, lived like one and died like one".

"He did not want state honours. Therefore, we all want it (the funeral) to be done as per Appa's wishes," he said.

Burials or cremations of former chief ministers are usually held with full state honours following religious rituals, if any.

Preparations are on in full swing for Oomen Chandy's funeral at the Puthuppally Orthodox Church in the Kottayam district. His body will be buried in an exclusive area - where priests are usually interred - on the church premises, instead of in his family vault at the cemetery.

The former two-time Chief Minister died at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday. He was 79. He was being treated for cancer, party sources said.