Vilasrao Deshmukh's body reaches Latur; thousands gather to pay respects

LATUR: Thousands of people lined up on the road to pay their last respects to Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh whose body arrived here this morning.
The body of Deshmukh, who passed away at the Global Hospital in Chennai yesterday, was flown in an Air Force plane to Latur early today.
On way to his native village Babhalgaon, the procession of the vehicle carrying Deshmukh's body was impeded by thousands of mourners who blocked traffic on the main road in a bid to have a last glimpse of the leader.
Shops and commercial establishments in Latur have downed shutters since yesterday soon after the news of Deshmukh's passing away reached them.
Police sources said seven lakh people are expected to attend Deshmukh's last rites.
The body was later kept at a special stage erected in Dayanand Vidyalaya premises at the village to enable people to pay tributes from, sources said.
Deshmukh's mortal remains would be consigned to flames at around 4pm at his farm at Babhalgaon, close to the place where his father Dagdojirao was cremated.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi paid their last respects to the former Maharashtra chief minister in Babhalgaon village. Soon after arriving from the capital, Singh laid a wreath on Deshmukh's coffin and with folded hands offered condolences to family members including wife Vaishali and sons Amit, Dheeraj and Reitesh.
Gandhi, who reached the venue along with Manmohan Singh, also laid a wreath and embraced the grieving Vaishali, who stood behind her husband's coffin.
She also consoled three sons and other family members.
Governor K. Sankaranarayanan, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also paid their respects to Deshmukh.
Several Bollywood personalities also turned up on the occasion.
Deshmukh passed away after suffering a heart attack in a Chennai hospital on Tuesday following multiple organ failure.