Sushil Modi Cremated with Full State Honours

Patna: Senior BJP leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi was cremated with full state honours in Patna on Tuesday evening. The air reverberated with chants of 'Sushil Modi Amar Rahein', as surging crowds broke down barricades when the mortal remains of former Bihar DyCM were consigned to flames at Digha Ghat crematorium in Patna.

The last rites were performed by his sons Uttarkash Modi and Akshay Modi, who lit the pyre in an emotionally surcharged atmosphere.

BJP President J P Nadda, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and several other ministers also attended the funeral. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was conspicuous by his absence at the funeral of Sushi Kumar Modi.

The body of the former BJP leader was kept at the party's state office in Patna before it was taken out in a procession to the crematorium. During the procession, people chanted slogans like "Sushil Modi Amar Rahein" as the cortege made its way from the BJP headquarters to the cremation ground.

Nadda placed a wreath on the body of the late leader at the party office in Patna. Several Union ministers, and Bihar ministers, including DyCMs - Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha -- offered floral tributes to the late leader.

Modi, 72, who was suffering from cancer, died in a New Delhi hospital on Monday evening.

Earlier in the day, the body of the former DyCM was brought to Patna from New Delhi. The special flight carrying the mortal remains of the leader from New Delhi reached Patna airport in the afternoon. Several senior BJP leaders were present at the airport to receive the body. The body was taken to his residence in Rajendra Nagar area in the state capital.

After the public homage at his house, the body was taken to the Bihar Assembly premises where several ministers, MLAs and MLCs paid their tributes to the departed leader. Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav also paid his respects to his long-time friend and associate. From there the hearse reached the BJP state office. A large number of people walked along the route.

Modi served as the deputy chief minister of Bihar from 2005 to 2013, and again between 2017 and 2020.

He breathed his last around 9.45 pm at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

Last month, he took to X to announce that he was battling with cancer for the last six months, and will not be able to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Republic staff and is published from a syndicated feed)