Kozhikode: After a two-and-a-half-month wait, Arjun's mortal remains reached his hometown in Kozhikode on Saturday. The ambulance carrying him reached his house around 9 am. Though his funeral was scheduled for 11 am in the compound of his house, long queue of public homage delayed the ceremonies. The last rites were started around 11.20 am. His brother Abhijith lit the pyre in the presence of the family members including Arjun's wife Krishnapriya and son Ayaan.
Ministers AK Saseendran, KP Mohammad Riyas, MPs M K Raghavan, Shafi Parambil, MLA KK Rema and Kozhikode district collector Snehil Kumar Singh reached Arjun's house in the morning itself. Underwater search expert Eshwar Malpe, who played major role in the search operations, also arrived to pay homage.
Arjun, a truck driver who went missing during a massive landslide at Shirur in Karnataka, was found in the Gangavali River on Wednesday. His remains were transported to his residence in Kannadikkal, Kozhikode, from Karwar Government Medical College Hospital by ambulance.
Thousands of people gathered at Kannadikkal junction, just a few kilometres from his home, on Saturday morning to pay their final respects. Arjun’s two phones, clothes, utensils, food items, a bag, a watch, and a toy bought for his son, which was recovered from the lorry's cabin in the Gangavali River were handed over to his family.
Karwar MLA Satish Krishna Sail also accompanied the mortal remains to Kozhikode. He will hand over the Karnataka government's ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to Arjun's mother.
Arjun and eight others lost their lives in the landslide on National Highway 66 in Ankola's Shirur in Karnataka, on July 16. Arjun, who was resting in his truck carrying timber to Kerala, was swept into the Gangavali River. His remains were found inside the truck’s cabin during search operations on September 25, 72 days after the landslide. A DNA test conducted in Karnataka confirmed the identity of the recovered body parts as those of Arjun.
