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Basharat Peer in New Delhi
Deceased Vice-President Krishan Kant would be cremated at Nigambodh Ghat on Sunday afternoon with full honours, including a gun salute from the army.
"The funeral would be held between 4:00-5:00 pm (IST) on Sunday. The army is looking after the funeral arrangements and there would be a ceremonial salute," said Vijay Goel, Officer on Special Duty, Prime Minister's Office.
Dignitaries from all walks of life kept visiting the Vice-President's house at Maulana Azad Road in the heart of Delhi, to pay their last respects.
Officials at the Vice-President's secretariat said that his body would not be taken to Parliament for the masses to pay their last regards.
"There are no such plans to move the body to Parliament House. People are coming here to pay their last respects," an official said.
"It is a major loss. Considering that he is the first Vice-President to die in office, a decision to announce a three-day mourning period has been taken," Goel said.
The Delhi Police are taking care of the security arrangements for the funeral, which will be attended by a host of VIPs. "We will be taking care of the security measures at the Nigambodh Ghat and will have enough men deployed there," a senior Delhi Police officer said.
While the mourners are constantly trickling in, Satyawati (96), Kant's mother does not want to let go of her son. Holding her deceased son's head, she has been crying continuously.
"She was very close to him and used to stay with him only. She has not left his body for a moment since they brought him from the hospital early in the morning," said J L Jirath, the deceased Vice-President's brother-in-law.
The Vice-President is survived by his wife, Suman Krishan Kant, two sons, Rashmi Kant and Sukant and a daughter Divya Deepti, who will be reaching Delhi from Ahmedabad.
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