Wailing, crying supporters swarm Rajaji Hall to bid adieu to Jayalalithaa

Chennai: A sea of humanity swamped the Rajaji Hall grounds here with people, cutting across religion, caste and age barriers, pouring in to pay their last respects to their beloved and revered leader J Jayalalithaa, whose body lay in state.

Amid the pall of gloom, people with teary eyes and crying inconsolably kept streaming into the Rajaji Hall, off the arterial Anna Salai in the heart of the city, to have a final glimpse of 'Amma' (mother as she was fondly called by her followers), who passed away last night.

All roads leading to the venue were bustling with crowds of people who did not mind taking a long walk with public transport, barring trains, remaining off the roads.

After Jayalalithaa's body was brought to the Rajaji Hall, the crowd could be seen swelling by the minute and the heavy posse of police personnel deployed there were finding it difficult to control them.

The emotionally-charged sympathisers, including a large number of wailing women, tried to break the barricade as they surged while nearing the location from where they could have a direct view of their 'Puratchi Thalaivi', draped in her favourite green colour saree, forcing the police to use "mild force" to ensure nothing untoward happened.

The mourners were being allowed through two queues flanked by iron barricades to pass in front of Jayalalithaa's body, which has been covered by the national tri-colour and placed on the top of the stairs leading to the heritage building.

People perched themselves at all vantage points, including the windows, sunshades and gates of the government Super Speciality Hospital, abutting the Rajaji Hall, and private buildings to take a glimpse of Jayalalithaa.

Men, women, children from different religions could be seen offering their last respects to the departed leader.