Kottayam: CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran was cremated with state honours at his residence in Kanam here on Sunday. Hundreds of people, including CPI activists, chanted party slogans paying last respects to the senior leader.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPM state secretary M V Govindan, ministers K Krishnankutty, J Chinchu Rani, K Rajan and P Prasad, CPI national secretary D Raja and MP Binoy Viswam, among others, attended the funeral ceremony. 

Thousands of people paid their homage to the CPI state secretary who breathed his last on Friday following a cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Kochi. After 12 hour-long mourning procession, the mortal remains reached his house at Kanam on Saturday night.

The 73-year-old leader was undergoing treatment at the hospital for multiple ailments including heart and kidney-related issues and diabetes. His right foot was recently amputated to contain the spread of an infection due to diabetes and had applied for three months leave from the party due to health reasons. Though the leader had expressed confidence of quick recovery, his health condition suddenly worsened on Friday evening following the cardiac arrest.

His body was airlifted from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday morning. In Thiruvananthapuram, thousands paid homage to the comrade at the CPI headquarters in Pattom. Many leaders and party workers, unable to come to terms with the unexpected demise of their beloved leader, broke down.

CPI national secretary D Raja, former defence minister A K Antony and Agriculture Minister P Prasad were among those who became emotional while paying their respects. After the public homage, his body was taken to Kottayam as a mourning procession. A huge number of people rushed to have a glance at the leader for the last time when the bus carrying his body crossed various places.