Farewell to Ramachandran: A Heartfelt Goodbye in Kerala

Synopsis

On April 25, a moving farewell was held in Kochi for Ramachandran, a 68-year-old man shot in Pahalgam. Governors, ministers, and citizens mourned his loss, reflecting on the impact of terrorism in the region. His family shared their heartbreak as they remembered his dedication to community service.

Key Takeaways

Ramachandran was a victim of terrorism in Pahalgam.
Governors and ministers attended the farewell.
Public mourning highlighted community solidarity.
Ramachandran was a dedicated BJP/RSS worker.
His family shared emotional memories of him.

Kochi, April 25 (NationPress) As tears flowed, two Governors, state ministers, actors, and hundreds of mourners came together to pay their final respects to 68-year-old Ramachandran, who was tragically shot by a terrorist in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22.

The procession included Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, Kerala Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar, and State Ministers P. Rajeeve and R. Bindhu, among others, who solemnly passed by Ramachandran’s body on Friday.

Pillai expressed his condolences, stating, 'The country comes first, and everything else follows. This brutal incident has drawn condemnation from leaders worldwide, highlighting the global perspective on this heinous act of terrorism.'

Ramachandran's mortal remains arrived on Wednesday and were housed in a mortuary for family and friends to say their goodbyes. On Friday morning, a local auditorium hosted his body for the public to pay their last respects. Many attendees, when asked about their connection to the deceased, remarked, 'I don’t know him personally but came to honor the unfortunate Ramachandran, who fell victim to a terrorist's bullet.'

An elderly woman who traveled from Thrissur shared, 'I might not have known him, but I worked in Pahalgam where this tragedy occurred, and I felt compelled to come.'

Some attendees recognized Ramachandran as a dedicated BJP/RSS worker.

After the auditorium, his body was transported to his nearby home, where among those carrying the coffin was State Industries Minister Rajeeve.

At his residence, family and friends, with tears in their eyes, bid him farewell. Customary prayer sessions were conducted before his body was cremated at a public crematorium by noon.

A condolence meeting is scheduled to follow.

Ramachandran was a former non-resident Indian who returned from the Middle East five years ago and was a devoted supporter of the BJP. He had previously run for local body elections and was considered a potential BJP candidate for upcoming civic elections.

On Thursday, his daughter Aarti, a mother of twin boys, recounted the horrifying moment her father was fatally shot by a terrorist in front of her and her children. She detailed how the attacker, who was not in uniform, pointed his gun at her head, causing her frightened sons to wail. 'Perhaps hearing their cries, the gunman walked away.'