Congman and Dalit leader laid to rest

MYSURU: KPCC working president R Dhruvanarayana, 62, a prominent Dalit leader, was laid to rest with police honours at Heggavadi in Chamarajanagar taluk on Sunday. Thousands of villagers, followers and Congress leaders, including KPCC chief DK Shivakumar and opposition leader Siddaramaiah, attended the final rites.
An eerie silence descended on the village even as uniformed police personnel fired rifle volleys at the leader's family farm in the village during the funeral in the noon hours of Sunday. His wife Veena, sons Darshan and Dheeran and relatives, were present.
Dhruvaranayana was a Congressman for over four decades and was formerly a two-time MP and two-time MLA. His mortal remains were brought to his native district of Chamarajanagar in the midnight from Mysuru where he died of cardiac arrest on Saturday. Thousands of followers, well-wishers, and the public offered their last respect to their leader at the Congress Office on Sathyamangalam road.
The body of Dhruvanarayana reached his native Heggavadi, some 20 kilometres away from Chamarajanagar town, around 2.30am.
Congress functionaries Shamanur Shivashankarappa, G Parameshwara, Eshwar Khandre, Dinesh Gundurao, HC Mahadevappa, MLAs Puttarangshetty, Anil Chikkamadu and Yathindra Siddaramaiah were among other Congress leaders who participated in the funeral.