Kannur: Left activist and Koothuparamba police firing survivor, Pushpan, who passed away on Saturday, was cremated near the Martyrs’ Memorial in Koothuparamba. Thousands of workers gathered at his home in Chokli to pay their last respects.

Pushpan (54), who was injured in a Koothuparamba police firing in 1994, was bedridden for the past 30 years. He passed away while undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Baby Memorial Hospital on Saturday.

His body was kept for public homage at the Kozhikode DYFI office from Saturday night. CPM and DYFI workers gave an emotional adieu to Pushpan by raising slogans during the public homage in Kozhikode.

Among those who offered their final tributes were CPM state secretary M V Govindan, CPM district secretary M V Jayarajan, and prominent leaders P Jayarajan, E P Jayarajan, M Swaraj, and A A Rahim.
M V Nikesh Kumar also attended to honour Pushpan. Nikesh is the son of the late minister and former CMP leader M V Raghavan—who is known to have been implicated in the shooting incident involving Pushpan and others in 1994.

A procession featuring revolutionary slogans accompanied the final tribute to Pushpan. The mourning procession departed from the DYFI office at the Youth Centre in Kozhikode at 8 am. Along the route, hundreds of people raised revolutionary slogans in Vadakara and Mahe. By 11 am, the body had arrived at Thalassery Town Hall. The CPM and the wider community have expressed deep sorrow over the loss of a cherished comrade.