Mumbai : Mumbai Police band plays mournful tunes. Thackeray’s mortal remains will be covered in Indian tricolour.
9:10 am: Bal Thackeray’s son Uddhav and grandson Aditya alongwith family members carry Shiv Sena patriarch’s mortal remains and come out of Matoshree residence.
8:46 am: BJP leader Sushma Swaraj leaves Delhi for Mumbai to attend Thackeray’s funeral.
8:10 am: Nearly 20,000 Shiv Sainiks crowd outside Matoshree to have a last glimpse of Bal Thackeray’s mortal remains. They do not disperse despite repeated police requests on the mike.
8 am: MNS chief and Thackeray’s nephew Raj Thackeray alongwith family members arrive at Matoshree.
The mortal remains of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray will first be taken from his residence Matoshree to Shiv Sena Bhavan, the party headquarters in Dadar this morning, and from there the procession will reach Shivaji Park.
Mourners will be able to pay their last respects to the party patriarch at Shivaji Park throughout the day, after which the last rites will be performed.
The funeral will take place in Shivaji Park. A large quantity of sandalwood has been brought for the final rites.
The ashes of Shiv Sena pramukh will be prepared in ‘kalash’ and will be sent to all districts of Maharashtra and different states of India to be immersed in the rivers, party sources said.
A large number of Shiv Sena activists and supporters have begun gathering at Shivaji Park and Sena Bhavan to have a last look at the party patriarch.