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Sarabjit consigned to flames

Sarabjit Singh, who died in Pakistan was brought to his native village by special plane is consigned to flames with full state honours. His last rites was performed in presence of VIP including CM Parkash Singh Badal and Dy CM Sukbhir Singh Badal of Punjab, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister of State Preneet Kaur.

A contingent of Punjab Police reversed their arms and then fired shots in the air as a mark of respect to 49-year-old Sarabjit, who died on Thursday in aLahore hospital.

The pyre was lit by Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur in the presence of his wife Sukhpreet Kaur, daughters Swapandeep and Poonam and son-in-law Sanjay. Dalbir Kaur was assisted by local SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha.

A large crowd comprising villagers and VIPs, including Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, bid a heartfelt adieu to Sarabjit, whose body was brought here late last night 23 years after he inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan.

The final journey of Sarabjit commenced at around 1.15 PM with his coffin, wrapped in the tricolour, being taken to a flower-bedecked hearse van stationed adjacent to a government school ground where the body had been placed for the people to pay their last respect.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur were among others present.

Badal had announced a state funeral and three-day state mourning besides financial aid to the family and government jobs for his daughters.

A Granthi recited prayers at the cremation ground before the pyre was lit. People climbed rooftops of nearby houses to have a last glimpse of Sarabjit.

Others present included Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, state Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa, Vice Chairman of National SC Commission Raj Kumar Verka, Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma and leaders representing various parties, including SAD, BJP and Congress.

Villagers consoled sobbing members of Sarabjit's family as the body was taken for the last rites.

His distraught daughters felt unwell during the funeral and had to be helped by the locals.

Slogans like 'Pakistan Murdabad' and 'Sarabjit Amar Rahe' (Long live Sarabjit) rent the air as his body was placed in the school ground to enable people to pay their respects.

The mortal remains were later taken in a procession to the nearby village cremation ground.

Tight security arrangements were made at the cremation site in view of the presence of a large number of VIPs and additional police contingents were brought from Tarn Taran and other adjoining districts, including Amritsar.

The funeral procession took some 45 minutes to reach the cremation ground, about 400 metres from the school ground, after taking a round of the village.