LIVE Updates | Karunanidhi Laid To Rest At Chennai's Marina Beach, Next To Anna Memorial

The Madras High Court allowed the burial of former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and DMK chief M Karunanidhi at Marina Beach.

The 94-year-old leader breathed his last at the Kauvery Hospital in downtown Chennai at 6.10 p.m after waging a grim battle for life for 11 days.

Within minutes of Karunanidhi's death, a huge row erupted after the state's AIADMK government rejected the demand of the DMK, its long-standing political rival in state politics, for land on the famed sands of the Marina beach where he could be buried.

LIVE UPDATES

7.10 PM:  DMK chief M Karunanidhi laid to rest at Chennai's Marina beach, next to Anna memorial.

6.45 PM: M Karunanidhi's family pays last tribute to the DMK chief at Marina beach. Burial to take place shortly.

6.30 PM: Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit, state minister D Jayakumar and Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan pay tribute to Karunanidhi  at Marina beach.

6.22 PM: Karunanidhi’s funeral procession reaches burial site at Marina beach. 

6: 15 PM: Rahul Gandhi,Ghulam Nabi Azad, Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu, TMC's Derek O Brien and others at the last rites ceremony of Karunanidhi.

5 PM:  Heart-rendering slogans like 'Kalaignar pugazh vazhga vazhgavey' (long live the glory of Karunanidhi) rent the air as tri-service personnel lifted the glass casket containing the mortal remains and walked up to the decked up military hearse.

Sobbing family members, including the late leader's sons M K Stalin and Tamizharasu, followed them.

The hearse inched its way to the Marina beach about 1.7 km from Rajaji Hall with thousands of people lining up on the roads to catch a last glimpse of the departed leader.
Hundreds of people sporting black shirts and carrying pictures and banners of the late leader followed the hearse.

04.05 PM

The funeral procession of late DMK President M Karunanidhi have begun. He will be laid to rest at Marina near the Anna memorial.  

03.50 PM

Former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah, NCP President Sharad Pawar & Congress leader Praful Patel pay tribute to the DMK Chief M. Karunanidhi

03.30 PM

The Supreme Court refused to entertain the plea filed by Traffic Ramaswamy seeking stay on the last rites of Karunanidhi at Marina Beach. Ramaswamy had moved SC against the Madras High Court order which allowed to perform the last rites of Karunanidhi at the Marina beach.

 3. 02 PM: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor P Sathasivam, and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala paid tribute to the DMK chief Karunanidhi at Rajaji Hall

3 PM: 2 dead and 33 injured in scuffle and stampede outside Rajaji Hall in Chennai 

2:45 PM: Preparations underway for state funeral of M Karunanidhi at Marina beach in Chennai

2.20 PM: Congress president Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to M Karunanidhi at Rajaji Hall

2.15 PM: RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and SP's Akhilesh Yadav pay tribute to M Karunanidhi at Rajaji Hall

 2 PM: More than 10 people were injured in stampede at Rajaji Hall 

1.45 PM:  "I request the cadre to remain calm, I did not want anything for myself. All I want is a fitting tribute to Kalaignar," says MK Stalin. 

1.30 PM

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi wrote a condolence letter to DMK working president and Karunanidhi's son M.K. Stalin.  "For me Kalaignar's loss is very personal.  He always showed me great kindness and consideration., which I can never forget.  He was like a father figure to me," she said.

1.20 PM

"Someone who worked without any rest is finally resting here," Karunanidhi's own chosen words as epitaph has been inscribed on his coffin.

12.20 PM

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she had personally called up prime minister Narendra Modi over the Karunanidhi burial row. "I was unhappy yesterday, as the govt did not allow the Marina beach burial. I had called the CM but he was unavailable. I also personally called the PM in this regard, she said.

11.25 AM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks to MK Stalin and Kanimozhi after paying last respects to M Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

11.15AM

Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha adjourned for the day as a mark of respect to former CM M Karunanidhi

11.00 AM

MK Stalin breaks down after Madras High Court's verdict to allow the burial of former CM M Karunanidhi at Chennai's Marina beach.

Supporters celebrate following Madras High Court's verdict to allow the burial of former CM M Karunanidhi at Chennai's Marina beach

10.50 AM

Madras High Court allowed Karunanidhi's burial at Marina beach.

10. 40 AM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Chennai to pay last respects to  Karunanidhi

10.15 AM

 Rapid Action Force has been deployed outside Anna memorial at Marina beach in Chennai.

10.00 AM

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan paid last respects to former Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

09.40 AM

Tamil Nadu govt's lawyer says 'DMK is pursuing political agenda by filing this case. DK Chief Periyar was the tallest leader of Dravidian movement. Was he buried at Marina beach?'

09.25 AM

DMK's lawyer says 'You (state govt) have announced state mourning, why not give land for burial? There's no prohibition under Central Govt protocol to allot land at Marina beach for ex-CMs.

There are 1 crore DMK followers in Tamil Nadu out of 7 crore population of the state. They'll be offended if burial land is not allotted for Karunanidhi at Marina beach.'

 09.15 AM

DMK's lawyer says 'Anna, who is the founder of DMK, used to say my life & soul is Karunanidhi. Burying Karunanidhi next to Gandhi Mandapam cannot be termed as a decent burial.'

09.00 AM

Court records contents of counter affidavit filed by state Govt who tells Court, DMK can't challenge press release by Govt expressing inability to allot space at Marina beach for Karunanidhi

Tamil Nadu Govt stated in its counter affidavit that DMK chief Karunanidhi himself didn't allot land for former CM Janaki Ramachandran after understanding the protocol manual when Karunanidhi was the CM.

 08.35 AM

Madras High Court dismisses petitions filed by Traffic Ramaswamy, K Balu & Duraisamy challenging construction of memorials at Marina beach.

 08. 27 AM

Case against denial of burial land by Tamil Nadu Govt at Marina beach for M Karunanidhi: Madras HC directs Traffic Ramaswamy’s lawyer to file memorandum that he has no objection to bury Karunanidhi’s body at Marina beach. Lawyer submits the memorandum to the Acting Chief Justice

 08.25 AM

Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy pays last respects to former Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

 08.20 AM

Case against denial of burial land by Tamil Nadu Govt at Marina beach for M Karunanidhi: Lawyer of petitioner Traffic Ramaswamy says 'We have no objection to the burial land for Karunanidhi'. Acting Chief Justice says to the lawyer 'Withdraw your case'.

 08.10 AM

Case against denial of burial land by Tamil Nadu Govt at Marina beach for M Karunanidhi: Tamil Nadu Govt files its counter affidavit in the case. Hearing in the matter is underway at Madras High Court.

 07.45 AM

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit pays last respects to former Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

 07.05 AM

This is a great loss for Tamil Nadu. My deep condolences to his family members & DMK party workers: Tamil Nadu CM E Palaniswami after paying last respects to former Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall

 07.00 AM

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswamy & Deputy CM O Panneerselvam at Chennai's Rajaji Hall where mortal remains of former Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi are kept.

 06.30 AM