Chennai, Buses were off the roads, shopkeepers and all commercial and business establishments downed their shutters,as a bandh like situation prevailed in Tamil Nadu, as a mark of respect to former Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi who passed away on Tuesday evening.
Police sources told agencies that though normal life was affected and roads wore a deserted look, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state.
As the news about the deterioration of Mr Karunanidhi’s condition trickled since last evening, several shops have downed their shutters.
As the Kauvery hospital officially declared that Mr Karunandihi breathed his last at 1810 hrs, most of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses were off the roads in Chenni city.Even some of the state express transport corporation buses, including inter-state buses, stopped plying.
In Chennai, most of the roads wore a deserted look as buses, autorickshaws and share autos kept off the roads. However, air services and suburban EMU train services were operated as usual.Except for essentials like medicine, milk and water, all the shops, including petty shops and tea shops, were closed.
The ever busy famous Ranganathan street in the upmarket T.Nagar area, housing several jewellery and textile retail chains and considered as the common man’s shopping paradise, also wore a deserted look as all the shops were closed.
The busy Pondy Bazaar area, the shopping hub of Chennai city, also wore a deserted look with shops and business establishments downing their shutters as a mark of respect to Mr Karunanidhi.
The Tamil Nadu government has announced an official holiday for the day to mourn the death of Karunanidhi, as schools and colleges, and all educational institutions, banks, offices of the State Government, offices of the State public Sector Undertakings and the Government controlled bodies remained closed.
Even several private and IT firms have declared a holiday for the day.As Mr Karunanidhi’s affinity with the Tamil Film world was well known, film shoots were suspended for the day as a mark of respect to the departed soul.
All theatres also remained closed since last evening and film shows were suspended till the last rites of Mr Karunanidhi were performed.
Elsewhere in the State, people mourned the death of Mr Karunanidhi, by paying homage to his decorated portrait in every nook and corner, and posters hailing the DMK patriarch have been put up across the state.
Meanwhile, apart from several VIPs and regional and national leaders of various political parties, thousands of people, including wailing women,filed past the body of Mr Karunanidhi which was kept for public homage at Rajaji hall in the city.
