Chhattisgarh: Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi buried with full state honours

Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi was buried in a cemetery in Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (GPM) district with full state honours at around 8pm on Saturday amid prayers by bishops and pastors, an official said.

Jogi, a bureaucrat-turned-politician and the state's first CM, died in Raipur on Friday after battling for life at a private hospital following cardiac arrest at his home on May 9. He was 74.

Among those present were Jogi's MLA wife Renu Jogi, his son and former MLA Amit Jogi, daughter-in-law Richa Jogi and his elder brother SR Jogi. State Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma, Revenue Minister Jaisingh Agrawal, Food Minister Amarjeet Bhagat, Leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik, Congress and JCC(J) MLAs also paid tribute to the departed soul.

Earlier in the day, Jogi's mortal remains were taken by road from his official residence in Raipur to Bilaspur, some 125 kilometres away, with people gathering along the route in Simga, Nandghat, Sargaon and Bilha towns to pay tribute.

In Bilaspur, the body of Jogi was kept in Marwahi Sadan, where leaders and people paid tributes, and was then taken to Jogisaar, his native village in neighbouring GPM district, where too people thronged the streets for a last glimpse.

Only close family members and some dignitaries entered the graveyard in view of social distancing norms in place for the novel coronavirus outbreak. The state government has declared three-day state mourning as a mark of respect to the departed leader.