Senior BJP leader Kalpataru Das cremated at native village

The mortal remains of senior BJD leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kalpataru Das were consigned to flames at his native village Bhotaka in Odisha's Jajpur district with a large number of people including near and dear ones biding a tearful adieu.
Politicians, ministers and supporters of the four-time legislator and former minister accompanied the departed leader who died at the AIIMS in New Delhi yesterday.
His last rites were performed at his native village at Bhotaka in the district with official honours.
National Highway-5 and other thoroughfares leading to Kalpataru's native village Bhotaka, were choked with thousands of mourners in such a manner that the cortege took hours to reach the village crematorium.

Shouts of 'Kalpataru amar rahe' rented the air wherever the funeral procession passed through. Security personnel had a tough time managing the wailing crowd.
Thousands of people, including several from neighbouring districts, and Kalpataru's associates and supporters, thronged his native village to have a last glimpse of the departed leader.

State Food and Civil supply minister Sanjaya Dasburma, Energy minister Pranab Prakash Das, former ministers Prafulla Samal and Pramila Malik, legislators Pritiranjan Ghadei, Akash Das Nayak, Jajpur collector Satyaranjan Mallik and a host of state administration officers participated in the funeral.
Kalpataru's elder son Pranab Balabantray, also a BJD legislator from Dharmasala, performed the last rites.

A contingent of state police gave a gun salute.