End of a political era in TN as DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi is laid to rest

Chennai: After a three-hour hearing on Wednesday, the Madras High Court ruled that DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi will be buried next to his mentor, C N Annadurai, at the iconic Marina Beach in Chennai.

The high court decision came almost 15 hours after the death of Karunanidhi at Kauvery hospital in Chennai on Tuesday evening.

DMK moved the Madras High Court hours late on Tuesday after the Tamil Nadu government declined their request to allot space for Kalaignar’s burial near party founder Annadurai’s memorial at Marina Beach.

DMK patriarch Karunanidhi breathed his last on Tuesday in Chennai after battling ill health for weeks. He was 94.

Here are the LIVE updates:

07:00 pm: Karunanidhi's family members break down as the DMK chief is laid to rest at Marina Beach.

Photo: ANI | Twitter

06:40 pm: M Karunanidhi's family pay their last tribute to the DMK chief at Marina beach. Burial to take place shortly.

Photo: ANI | Twitter

Photo: ANI | Twitter

06:20 pm: MK Stalin with sister Selvi and brother MK Alagiri at last rites ceremony of M Karunanidhi.

(Photo: ANI/Twitter)

06:10 pm: Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu, TMC's Derek O Brien and others arrive for Karunanidhi's last rites on Marina Beach.

(Photo: ANI/Twitter)

06:00 pm: MK Stalin reaches Anna Memorial at Marina Beach.

05:15 pm: The hearse is slowly inching its way to Marina Beach, about 1.7 km from Rajaji Hall, as thousands have lined up to catch a last glimpse of their Thalaivar.

05:00 pm: Heart-rendering slogans like 'Kalaignar pugazh vazhga vazhgavey' (long live the glory of Karunanidhi) can be heard as Karunanidhi's final journey is underway.

04:08 pm: Mortal remains of DMK Chief M Karunanidhi being taken to Marina Beach for last rites.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

03:57 pm: Former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah, NCP President Sharad Pawar and Congress leader Praful Patel pay tribute to DMK Chief M Karunanidhi at Rajaji Hall.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

03:20 pm: Supreme Court refuses to entertain the plea filed by Traffic Ramaswamy seeking a stay on the last rites of Karunanidhi at Marina Beach. Ramaswamy had moved the apex court against the Madras High Court order which allowed to perform the last rites of Karunanidhi at the Marina beach.

03:03 pm: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor P Sathasivam, and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala paid tribute to DMK Chief at Rajaji Hall.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

02:58 pm: Two dead and 33 injured in scuffle and stampede outside Rajaji Hall in Chennai, news agency ANI reported.

02:42 pm: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao paid tribute to Karunanidhi at Rajaji Hall.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

02:25 pm: Congress President Rahul Gandhi also paid tribute to Karunanidhi at Rajaji Hall.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

02:22 pm: RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and SP's Akhilesh Yadav also paid tributes to Karunanidhi at Rajaji Hall.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

02:04 pm: 'A person who continued to work without rest, now takes rest': These are the words written on the coffin of M Karunanidhi.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

01:54 pm: M K Stalin urged party cadre to remain calm. He said, "I did not want anything for myself. All I want is a fitting tribute to Kalaignar."

"Those who are in power are trying to create chaos, but you have all shown the strength of the cadres. I appeal to everyone to maintain peace," Stalin added.

01:41 pm: After police blocked the entrance of Rajaji Hall due to huge crowds, people climbed walls in an attempt to enter the hall.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

01:37 pm: Construction of burial at Marina beach for Karunanidhi underway.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

01:15 pm: A DMK supporter gets his head tonsured as a mark of respect for late leader Karunanidhi in Coimbatore.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

01:11 pm: Scuffle broke out between Police and crowd gathered at Rajaji Hall; police resorted to lathi charge.

01:02 pm: Visuals of huge crowd at Chennai's Rajaji Hall where mortal remains of Karunanidhi are kept.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

12:30 pm: Tamil Nadu government has abided by the Madras High Court ruling and has allotted land for burial at Marina Beach.

12:18 pm: "I was unhappy yesterday as the government did not allow the Marina beach burial. I had called the chief minister but he was unavailable. I also personally called the Prime Minister in this regard," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

12:03 pm: Earlier in Lok Sabha, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said, "With profound sorrow, I have to inform the House about the sad demise of Karunanidhi who passed away on 7 Aug, 18. He served as CM of Tamil Nadu for 5 times. In his demise, the country has lost a highly popular and eminent personality."

11:58 am: DMK supporters gathered outside Anna memorial at Chennai's Marina beach. JCB machines have also reached the spot following Madras High Court's judgement that Karunanidhi will receive burial at the Marina beach.

11:18 am: PM Modi spoke to M K Stalin and Kanimozhi after paying last respects to Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

11:10 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his last respects to Karunanidhi at Rajaji Hall in Chennai.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

11:09 am: Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha adjourned for the day as a mark of respect to former Tamil Nadu chief minister Karunanidhi.

11:07 am: DMK lawyer V Kannadasan said, "The DMK's plea for the burial of Kalaignar's body near Anna memorial has been accepted by the Madras High Court. The court further directed Tamil Nadu government to ensure and establish a memorial for Kalaignar's."

11:05 am: DMK supporters celebrate following Madras High Court's verdict to allow the burial of Karunanidhi at Chennai's Marina beach. Visuals from Rajaji Hall and outside Madras High Court.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

11:01 am: Karunanidhi's son and DMK working president M K Stalin broke down after Madras High Court's verdict allowing the burial of Karunanidhi at Chennai's Marina Beach.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

10:55 am: Madras High Court has ruled that DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi to be laid to rest next to his mentor at Marina Beach.

10:35 am: Arguments have been over. Acting Chief Justice began to dictate orders.

10:34 am: Justice S S Sundar pointed out to DMK lawyer that the family members of Karunanidhi have not approached the High Court.

10:32 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Chennai to pay last respects to DMK chief M Karunanidhi.

10:07 am: Rapid Action Force has been deployed outside Anna memorial at Marina beach in Chennai.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

10:03 am: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan paid last respects to Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

09:42 am: Tamil Nadu government's lawyer said,"DMK is pursuing political agenda by filing this case."

"D K Chief Periyar was the tallest leader of Dravidian movement. Was he buried at Marina beach?" he asked.

09:28 am: During the hearing, DMK lawyer said, "There are 1 crore DMK followers in Tamil Nadu out of 7 crore population of the state. They'll be offended if burial land is not allotted for Karunanidhi at Marina beach."

09:24 am: DMK lawyer had also said, "You (state government) have announced state mourning, why not give land for burial? There's no prohibition under Central Government protocol to allot land at Marina beach for ex-chief ministers.

09:12 am: During the hearing, DMK's lawyer said, "Anna, who is the founder of DMK, used to say my life and soul is Karunanidhi. Burying Karunanidhi next to Gandhi Mandapam cannot be termed as a decent burial."

09:02 am: Tamil Nadu government said in its counter affidavit that DMK chief Karunanidhi himself didn't allot land for former CM Janaki Ramachandran after understanding the protocol manual when Karunanidhi was the chief minister.

09:00 am: Madras High Court recorded contents of the counter affidavit filed by the state government which told the court that DMK can't challenge press release by the government expressing inability to allot space at Marina Beach for Karunanidhi.

08:55 am: Madras High Court Acting Chief Justice recorded in his order, submissions made by DMK organising secretary R S Bharathi in his affidavit seeking burial land at Marina beach for DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi.

08:43 am: VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan paid last respects to M Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall. He said, "We demand that Bharat Ratna be conferred upon him. We also demand that his memorial be made near Anna Samadhi."

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

08:37 am: Madras High Court dismissed petitions filed by Traffic Ramaswamy, K Balu and Duraisamy challenging the construction of memorials at Marina beach.

08:34 am: Deepa Jayakumar, niece of former Tamil Nadu chief minister late J Jayalalithaa, paid tributes to Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

08:28 am: Madras HC directed Traffic Ramaswamy’s lawyer to file memorandum that he has no objection to bury Karunanidhi’s body at Marina beach. Lawyer submitted the memorandum to the Acting Chief Justice.

08:25 am: Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy paid tributes to Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

08:19 am: Lawyer of petitioner Traffic Ramaswamy said, "We have no objection to the burial land for Karunanidhi'.

Acting Chief Justice said to the lawyer, 'Withdraw your case'.

08:10 am: Tamil Nadu government filed its counter affidavit in case of allowing burial of M Karunanidhi at Marina beach. Hearing in the matter is underway at Madras High Court.

07:50 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for Chennai to pay his last respects to M Karunanidhi.

07:48 am: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit paid last respects to former Tamil Nadu chief minister Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:35 am: Huge crowd gathered at Chennai's Rajaji Hall to pay last respects to DMK patriarch Karunanidhi. Crowd raised slogans of 'Long live Kalaignar' and 'Need Marina! Need Marina!'

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

07:15 am: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy and Deputy Chief Minister O
Panneerselvam paid their last respects to Karunanidhi. Palanisamy said, "This is a great loss for Tamil Nadu. My deep condolences to his family members and DMK party workers."

06:45 am: Madras High Court to hear the case against denial of burial land by Tamil Nadu Government at Marina beach for Karunanidhi at 8 am.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

06:30 am: Visuals from Chennai's Rajaji Hall where mortal remains of DMK supremo Karunanidhi are kept.

(Photo: Twitter | ANI)

06:27 am: Superstar Rajinikanth, Dhanush paid last respects to Karunanidhi at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

06:09 am: Mortal remains of late DMK chief Karunanidhi wrapped in tricolour at Chennai's Rajaji Hall.

05:50 am: TTV Dhinakaran arrives at Chennai's Rajaji Hall where mortal remains of former Karunanidhi are kept.

05:37 am: Ambulance carrying mortal remains of former Tamil Nadu CM Karunanidhi arrived at Rajaji Hall.

05:28 am: Karunanidhi's son MK Alagiri and DMK leader Andimuthu Raja arrive at Rajaji Hall in Chennai where mortal remains of the late DMK supremo were being brought.

05:01 am: Mortal remains of former Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi being taken from Kanimozhi's residence in CIT Colony to Rajaji Hall.

04:56 am: Congress leader P Chidambaram paid last respects to Karunanidhi at Chennai's CIT Colony.

04:38 am: Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan said: When Anna (former Tamil Nadu CM Annadurai) was there to safeguard and promote general Kazhagam, there were two brothers- Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi) and MGR, and to see all three of them at one place would have been good.

02:10 am: Police resorted to lathi-charge to control the crowd gathered outside Kanimozhi's residence in CIT Colony where mortal remains of Karunanidhi are kept.