Soumitra cremated with state honours
Legendary Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee was cremated yesterday evening and a gun-salute at Kolkata's Keoratala Burning Ghat.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, leftist politicians Biman Bose, Surjya Kanta Mishra, along with thousands of Chatterjee's fans and admirers, joined the funeral procession.
The procession started from Nandan in Rabindra Sadan, considered the hub of Bangla theatre, reported Indian newspapers.
Soumitra Chatterjee passed away in Kolkata yesterday. He was 85. The Dadasaheb Phalke awardee was hospitalised over 40 days ago after testing positive for coronavirus.
He later tested negative for the virus, but the condition of the veteran actor remained a matter of concern owing to co-morbidities and advanced age.
Soumitra's body was brought out of Belle Vue Clinic hospital around 2:00pm and taken to his residence in Kolkata's Golf Green. His body was then taken to the Technician Studio in Tollygunge, where his long-time colleagues paid their last respects.
After that his body was kept at Nandan for about two hours from 3:30pm, and from there the final procession started at about 5:30pm.
Mamata Banerjee, Biman Bose, Surjya Kanta Mishra and thousands of Chatterjee's fans and admirers paid their last respects while following health guidelines necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Soon after news of actor-director-poet-writer Chatterjee's death spread, a pall of gloom descended on West Bengal as well as Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed deep shock at his death.
In a condolence message, she said a big vacuum has been created in the sphere of acting due to the death of the brilliant thespian.
"Soumitra Chatterjee will remain in the hearts of people through his creative works," she said.
The prime minister prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.
Information Minister Hasan Mahmud, State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid and others also expressed shock at Soumitra's death.
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