The mortal remains of Kandhamal BJD MP Hemendra Chandra Singh were consigned to flames at his native place here on Saturday afternoon.
The cremation was performed at the Puruna Rajbati (old royal palace) premises where Singh’s son lit the funeral pyre in the presence of senior BJD leaders, including Ministers, members of the royal families of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand and thousands of people of Nayagarh town.
Odisha Ministers Arun Sahu, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, lal Bihari Himirika and Bikram Arukh, former Minister Pratap Dev and Puri MP Pinaki Mishra were present at the cremation site.
Earlier in the day, Singh’s body had arrived at Nayagarh from Bhubaneswar in a hearse van. The body was then taken in a procession around the town where thousands of people had a last glimpse of their departed leader.