FUNERAL PROCESSION THROUGH STREETS OF AMRITSAR; BODY ARRIVING AT THE FORMER CHIEF MINISTER'S HOME IN THE VILLAGE OF KAIRON; SLOW PROCESSION FROM HOUSE TO NEARBY TEMPLE; LIGHTING OF FUNERAL PYRE.




Initials PC/V/JH/JM



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Background: HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE LINED THE STREETS OF AMRITSAR YESTERDAY (MONDAY) TO WATCH THE FUNERAL PROCESSION OF SARDAR PRATAP SINGH KAIRON, THE FORMER CHIEF MINISTER OF PUNJAB STATE WAS SHOT DEAD ON SATURDAY AS HIS CAR WAS RETURNING HOME AFTER TALKS IN THE INDIAN CAPITAL. THE THREE OTHER OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR WERE ALSO KILLED.

AS SARDAR KAIRON'S BODY WAS TAKEN THROUGH AMRITSAR ON AN OPEN TRUCK THE PEOPLE -- MANY WEEPING -- THREW ROSE PETALS ON THE BODY AND SHOUTED: "MAY THE LION OF PUNJAB BE IMMORTAL".

FROM AMRITSAR THE FORMER CHIEF OF MINISTER'S BODY WAS TAKEN TO KAIRON, HIS HOME VILLAGE, 25 MILES AWAY. A RELIGIOUS CEREMONY WAS ATTENDED BY THE KAIRON FAMILY INSIDE HIS HOME AND THEN THE BODY WAS TAKEN TO THE NEARBY TEMPLE. THERE, BEFORE A VAST CROWD, SARDAR KAIRON'S ELDEST SON LIT THE FUNERAL PYRE.

POLICE YESTERDAY HELD FOUR MEN IN NEW DELHI FOR QUESTIONING IN CONNECTION WITH THE MURDER OF SARDAR KAIRON. A HUGE MANHUNT WAS MOUNTED ON SUNDAY TO TRACK DOWN THE GANG OF FOUR MEN WHO HELP UP SARDAR KAIRON'S CAR AND SHOT THE FOUR OCCUPANTS DEAD AT THE VILLAGE OF RASOI, ABOUT 18 MILES (29 KILOMETRES) FROM DELHI. THE EX-CHIEF MINISTER WAS RETURNING FROM TALKS WITH PRIME MINISTER SHASTRI IN THE CAPITAL.

THE 63-YEAR-OLD SARDAR KAIRON BECAME CHIEF MINISTER OF THE PUNJAB IN 1956, BUT RESIGNED LAST JUNE AFTER AN INQUIRY COMMISSION FOUND HIS FAMILY HAD ENRICHED THEMSELVES WITH HIS HELP DURING HIS EIGHT YEARS OF OFFICE. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE FAMILY HAVE BEEN TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED SINCE THE MURDER.