Kerala's Tearful Farewell: Crowds Delay VS Achuthanandan's Final Journey

The mortal remains of V.S. Achuthanandan, former Kerala Chief Minister and CPI(M) stalwart, reached his hometown of Alappuzha at 6:45 AM on Wednesday, significantly delayed by an overwhelming outpouring of grief from thousands of mourners. The 150-km funeral procession from Thiruvananthapuram, which began at 2:30 PM on Tuesday, was slowed by massive crowds of admirers and ordinary citizens paying their respects to the Marxist leader, who died at 101 on Monday at Pattom SUT Hospital following a cardiac arrest.

Braving rain and nightfall, people lined the streets with flowers, chanting “Kanne Karale V.S.” (VS, our eye, our heart), as the flower-decked KSRTC bus, converted into a hearse, made its way through multiple stops, including Oachira and Haripad. The journey, typically four hours, stretched to over 16 hours due to the turnout and highway construction delays.

Achuthanandan, a founding CPI(M) member, served as Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011 and was a seven-time legislator, known for his fierce advocacy for workers’ rights, land reforms, and anti-corruption drives. His cremation is set for 3 PM today at Valiya Chudukadu crematorium, near the Punnapra-Vayalar martyrs’ memorial, with full state honors.

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