Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Former PM cremated with full state honours at Delhi's Smirti Sthal

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away here at AIIMS on Thursday at age 93, was on Friday cremated with full military honours at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, where people turned out in tens of thousands to pay their final tributes.

New Delhi: With heavy hearts, millions of Indians bid adieu to the former Prime Minister of the country Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who took his last breath on Thursday at the age of 93. Funeral of the charismatic leader was held at Smriti Sthal in the national capital Delhi in the evening. A profound grief has taken over the country which is observing a seven-day mourning for the popular leader, who was immensely admired for his poetic and oratory skills. Vajpayee was admitted at the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on June 11 with a kidney tract infection, urinary tract infection, low urine output and chest congestion. Vajpayee who is fondly remembered as one of the most eloquent Prime Ministers of India held the post three times. He served as Prime Minister for a short stint in 1996. Later on March 19, 1998, he took charge as Prime Minister of India and again on October 13, 1999, for the second consecutive term as the head of a new coalition government. Here's all that happened on Friday:

• Former prime minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee cremated with full state honours at Smriti Sthal in Delhi

Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and Sri Lanka acting Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella pay last respects to former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee at Smriti Sthal pic.twitter.com/BaWegOx4mi

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

Senior BJP leader LK Advani and BJP President Amit Shah pay last respects to former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee at Smriti Sthal pic.twitter.com/51KVjpTDJR

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

PM Narendra Modi pays last respects to former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee at Smriti Sthal pic.twitter.com/Yd62t8atlH

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

• Road gets jam-packed with people who have gathered in numbers to join the funeral procession of the former PM.

Image: ANI

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah walk on foot alongside the mortal remains of departed 'Bharat Ratna' Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

• Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's mortal remains being taken from BJP headquarters for the final journey.

Former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee's final journey to Smriti Sthal begins

LATEST UPDATES: https://t.co/wgQVutPtJm … pic.twitter.com/P61gmLfnEe — ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 17, 2018

King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck pays tribute to former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee at BJP HQ. PM Modi, EAM Sushma Swaraj and Amit Shah also present pic.twitter.com/9JVvUQ1DH2

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

• Atal Bihari Vajpayee's mortal remains will be taken for the final journey to Smriti Sthal shortly, where the final rites will be performed.

 

• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and AAP MP Sanjay Singh pay last respects to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at BJP Headquarters.

• Uddhav Thackeray arrived at BJP headquarters in Delhi to pay respects to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

• Senior BJP leader and a close friend of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani  arrives with his daughter at BJP headquarters and pays his last respects.

Delhi: Veteran BJP leader LK Advani and his daughter Pratibha Advani pay last respects to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at BJP Headquarters. pic.twitter.com/RoUMwlqyR8

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

• King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk arrives in Delhi to offer homage to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee

King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk arrives in Delhi, he will attend the funeral of former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee: ANI pic.twitter.com/diSV2iyjfq

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 17, 2018

• Departed 'Bharat Ratna' Atal Bihari Vajpayee's body is kept at BJP headquarters for paying last respect. Prime Minister Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and Union Minister  Rajnath Singh paid their last respects to the former PM of India.

Prime Minister @narendramodi pays last respects to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at BJP Headquarters.

LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/wgQVutPtJm … … pic.twitter.com/yFH7Yz2pap — ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 17, 2018

#Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh pays last respects to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at BJP Headquarters. pic.twitter.com/RnyGmxRL3T

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

• Army gun carriage with the mortal remains of Vajpayee reaches BJP Headquarters.

Mortal remains of 'Bharat Ratna' Atal Bihari Vajpayee reaches #BJP Headquarters.#AtalBihariVajpayee #AtaljiAmarRahen

LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/wgQVutPtJm pic.twitter.com/C1wXop73UW — ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 17, 2018

• PM Narendra Modi, BJP Chief Amit Shah, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and other party leaders wait at BJP headquarters for the mortal remains of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

#Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP President Amit shah, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and other BJP leaders at party headquarters #AtalBihariVajpayee pic.twitter.com/Yoxqyg7MRn

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

People chanting 'Atal Bihari amar rahe' and 'Vande Mataram' as mortal remains of former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee are being taken to #BJP Headquarters.

LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/wgQVutPtJm … pic.twitter.com/YwGNQvsBx6 — ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 17, 2018

• A huge crowd gathers at BJP Headquarters waiting for the mortal remains of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee , which will be brought shortly.

#Delhi: Huge crowd gathers at BJP Headquarters where mortal remains of former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee will be brought shortly. pic.twitter.com/tYJnagdUnD

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

• Hundreds join the procession as the mortal remains of Atal Bihari Vajpayee wrapped in Tricolour leaves for BJP Headquareters.

Delhi: A huge crowd of people has joined the procession as the mortal remains of former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee are being taken from his residence to the BJP Headquarters. People are chanting 'Atal Bihari amar rahe' and 'Vande Mataram'. pic.twitter.com/MYJ5BcTi9k

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

• Army gun carriage with the mortal remains of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee departs from his residence at Krishna Menon Marg  and moves towards BJP headquarters.

Army's gun carriage with mortal remains of former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee leads towards #BJP Headquarters.#AtalBihariVajpayee #AtaljiAmarRahen LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/wgQVutPtJm pic.twitter.com/ZkdhM9Puvv

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 17, 2018

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at BJP Headquarters in New Delhi, where the mortal remains of the late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be brought shortly from his residence at Krishna Menon Marg. Here the body will be kept for last respect

Narendra Modi reaches #BJP headquarters.#AtalBihariVajpayee #AtalJiAmarRahen

LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/wgQVutPtJm pic.twitter.com/FnmUcKc0QZ — ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 17, 2018

Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu pays tribute to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at his residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/UWGydy2uUg

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

• Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrives at departed former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence to pay his respect. Rahul also visited Vajpayee yesterday in AIIMS when his health was declared critical.

Congress President @RahulGandhi pays tribute to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at his residence in Delhi.

LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/wgQVutPtJm pic.twitter.com/XA1ZJGF97Y — ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 17, 2018

• National Security Advisor Ajit Doval pays tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence in Delhi

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval pays tribute to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at his residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/GGHQn9Q8i6

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

Army Chief Bipin Rawat pays tribute to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at his residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/lXC03Cq4ct

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

• Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba pays tribute to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence in Delhi.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba pays tribute to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at his residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/mzeNdspyLU

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

• RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat pays last respect to the departed leader at his residence at Krishna Menon Marg.

 

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat pays tribute to former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee at his residence in Delhi.

WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/DklVA2kRqnpic.twitter.com/Qu3nu0ki7p — ABP News (@abpnewstv) August 17, 2018

• Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi arrive at Atal Bihari Vajpayee's residence to pay last respects.

Javed Akhtar & Shabana Azmi arrive at former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee's residence to pay last respects. Javed Akhtar says,'very rare that a politician is respected across party lines. People with different ideology have also come as they love him because he used to love all' #Delhi pic.twitter.com/oCsrvU9tcU

— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018

• The funeral procession would leave the BJP headquarters at 1 pm and the last rites would be performed at 4 pm.

 

• BJP chief Amit Shah said people can pay their homage to the departed leader at his residence from 7.30 am to 8.30 am. The body would then be taken to the BJP headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg at around 9 am.

 

• Military vehicle that would carry the mortal remains of the leader has been decked up with white flowers.

• Heavy security arrangements, including deployment of police, traffic and paramilitary personnel, were in place around the 6-A Krishna Menon Marg bungalow in the Lutyens Delhi.

 

• The body of the BJP veteran is kept at his official residence at 6A, Krishna Menon Marg.