Kottayam: Hundreds of mourners paid their last respects to Kerala Congress (M) chairman K.M. Mani as his body was laid to rest at the cemetery of the St Thomas Cathedral Church, Pala, around 6.45 pm on Thursday.
Senior Congress leaders A.K. Antony, Oommen Chandy, K.C. Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik, Kerala Congress (B) chairman R. Balakrishna Pillai and film star Mammootty were among those who reached his residence and condoled his family.
Thousands of people thronged his home when his funeral procession reached there from Kochi after 15 hours of the journey that saw people lining up either side of the road to have a last glimpse of their departed leader.
The hearse that started from VPS Lakeshore Hospital around 10 am stopped on Thirunakkara ground at 12.45 am where several people were still waiting.
There was a long queue in front of his residence at Pala when it reached there around 7 am.
The funeral rites began by afternoon as he reached his final resting place by 4.30 pm.
Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis of the Syro Malankara Church led the funeral ceremony inside the church.
Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) president Archbishop Soosa Pakiam, Kottayam archbishop Mathew Moolakkattu, Pala bishop Joseph Kallarangatt and Kanjirappally bishop Mathew Arackal were co-celebrants.
The police gave ceremonial gun salutes before the mortal remains were interred at the cemetery of the church.
