Thousands attend last rites of ex-minister Ahamed

Thousands of people took part in the funeral service of senior Kerala parliamentarian E. Ahamed at a mosque here on Thursday.

A sitting Lok Sabha member, Ahamed passed away early on Wednesday morning in a Delhi hospital, and was laid to rest with full state honours.

The former Union Minister from Malappuram fell unconscious in the Central Hall of Parliament during the President's address that marked the start of then Budget session.

Ahamed was put on life support at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital where he passed away at 2.15 a.m.

Ahamed's last rites were conducted at his native Kannur City Juma Masjid, very close to his ancestral home. His political activities were centred mostly around Malappuram district and at Delhi.

Besides the national and state political leaders from various parties, people from every walk of life attended the last rites.

Ahamed's remains were first brought to Kozhikode from Delhi on Wednesday evening and were taken to his ancestral home late at night.

The funeral service was led by Indian Union Muslim League chief Pankkad Sayyid Hyderali Shihab Thangal. Ahamed was a leading member of the IUML.

The 78-year-old former UPA minister was regularly elected to the Lok Sabha since 1991. The IUML is the second biggest constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala.

A law graduate, Ahamed joined politics as a student, and was first elected to the Kerala assembly in 1967.

--IANS

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