Puneeth Rajkumar Fans Continue To Throng Kanteerava Studio to Pay Last Respects

BENGALURU: Thousands of fans of Kannada superstar late Puneeth Rajkumar continue to throng the graveside of the actor at the Kanteerva Studio even after eleven days after his untimely death. On Sunday fans were seen standing in serpentine queues outside the stadium right from five in the morning. Young and elderly, children and disabled were all seen patiently waiting for their turn to pay respects to the actor’s memorial. Around 500 cops were deployed on Sunday as it was a holiday to man the huge crowds.

Puneeth Rajkumar (46)  passed away due to a cardiac arrest on October 28 and was cremated with State honours on October 31. His fans and followers, from various places across the State of Karnataka, are visiting the  Kanteerava stadium on a daily basis. Reports say that on average 30,000 people are coming to visit the late actor’s memorial. It was heartening to see people of different age groups and various walks of life coming with toddlers and children to pay respects to their Power Star, whom they say was more than an actor, but also a loved person for his charitable activities and simplicity.

The Government has deployed  300 policemen along with the Bengaluru city police cops on a 12-hour shift per day. The police have allowed the public to visit Puneeth’s memorial between 9 am and 6 pm.

The Karnataka Government was on tenterhooks on the day Puneeth Rajkumar died, over the fear that mourning fans would take to the streets and wreak havoc like they did when his father thespian Rajkumar died in the year 2006. Wary of security breaches, the government, completed Puneeth Rajkumar’s funeral rites in the stadium by 7.30 am, amidst tight security.

Vinay Rajkumar, Puneeth’s nephew and son of brother Raghavendra Rajkumar, performed the rituals in accordance with Idiga community customs, and a guard of honour and gun salute was performed. He was buried near the memorials of his parents, thespian Dr Rajkumar and Parvathamma. 

Several State dignitaries, politicians, Kannada film actors, Tollywood actors Jr NTR, Balakrishna who were close to the actor paid respects to Puneeth Rajkumar and fans bid a teary adieu to their Appu as he was fondly known as. Around 20,000 personnel from 50 platoons of the State police and two companies of central police forces were deployed for the actor's funeral which went peacefully with no untoward incidents reported.
Prohibitory orders were in force in and around Kanteerava Studios till Tuesday when the family performed the fifth-day rituals at the grave. The public was allowed to visit the memorial only after that.

Meanwhile, fans inspired by Puneeth's eye donation are writing to hospitals to donate their eyes. Reports say that around two thousand people are registering for eye donation every day in the hospitals located only in Bengaluru. 

Also Read: Puneeth Rajkumar Dies of Heart Attack