LUDHIANA, August 12: The mortal remains of Nahar Singh Gill, an ex-Mayor of Ludhiana were consigned to flames today at Jamalpur crematorium. Hundreds of people including his relatives, colleagues and friends attended his funeral. His son Karan lit the funeral pyre amidst touching scenes and watery eyes.
Gill may not have been as popular while alive as he turned out to be after death with people from all walks of life attending his funeral in large numbers. The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation today observed holiday as a mark of respect to its former elected head.
People representing cross section of the society attended his funeral. The leaders of all the political parties including the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bhartiya Janata Party were present.
Those present at the funeral included the Chief Parliamentary Secretary Harish Rai Dhanda, Mayor Hakim Singh Gyaspura, senior Congress leaders and former ministers Shamsher Singh Dullo, Lal Singh, Chaudhary Jagjit, Tej Parkash Singh, Rakesh Pandhey, Malkiat Singh Birmi, Malkiat Singh Dakha, Harnam Dass Johar, legislators Gurdeep Singh Bhaini, Isher Singh Meharban, Darshan Singh Shivalik, ex MPs Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Amrik Singh Aliwal, senior Deputy Mayor Praveen Bansal, Congress leaders KK Bawa, Jagjivan Gill, Pawan Dewan, Amarjit Singh Tikka, DCC president Jagmohan Sharma, DYC president Dimple Rana, District Mahila Congress president Leena Taparia, besides the officers of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation.
Besides the industrialists, lawyers, teachers and representatives from other walks of life also attended the funeral.
Ludhiana MP and the national spokesperson of the All India Congress Committee Manish Tewari, who could not attended the funeral because of his engagements in the parliament, had sent special condolence message and a shawl that was laid on his body. Tewari said, he had lost a very close personal friend and a party colleague whose loss will be felt for a long time.