Sunanda Pushkar`s funeral: As it happened

Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor, the wife of India`s Minister of State for Human Resources Shashi Tharoor, was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Zee Media Bureau/Kamna Arora and Sushmita Dutta

9:55 pm: Salman Khurshid condoles Sunanda`s death External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid expressed grief over the demise of Sunanda Pushkar. "Its a personal loss to him (Tharoor) and to all of us. The kind of vivaciousness, life and energy she exuded was infectious from what I know of her as a friend its going to be very deep loss to overcome. I can only wish my friends Shashi strength in this terrible moment. I pray that this kind of thing never happen to anybody you care for," Khurshid said. Also Read: Salman Khurshid condoles Sunanda Tharoor`s death 9:42 pm: Mehbooba Mufti condoles death of Sunanda Pushkar Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti expressed grief over the death of Sunanda Pushkar. "I am deeply grieved over the sudden death of Sunanda Pushkar. We express our condolences and sympathy with her parents," Mehbooba said. She said the death of Sunanda was all the more painful as she was "a daughter of Kashmir". 8:30 pm: Sunanda`s death a pre planned murder, says Subramanian Swamy Commenting on the sudden death of Sunanda Pushkar, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy said that it seems to be a case of pre-planned murder. "The injury marks on her body, and the way this case is unfolding, it seems to be a well-planned murder. We must know what is the truth, and who was she likely to harm, for whom was her living a dangerous thing," he said. Also Read: Sunanda P Tharoor`s death should be probed for truth to come out: BJP 8:10 pm: Sonia Gandhi reaches Tharoor`s residence Soon after Sunanda Pushkar was cremated today, Congress president Sonia Gandhi met Union Minister Shashi Tharoor and condoled the death of his wife. Gandhi spent around six-seven minutes at Tharoor`s Lodhi Estate residence. Other prominent political leaders who visited Tharoor included Defence Minister AK Antony, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Congress leaders Ambika Soni, Ahmed Patel, Mukul Wasnik, Rajiv Shukla and Ashwani Kumar were also among the leaders who went to Tharoor`s residence. 6:59 pm: With you in this hour of grief, PM writes to Tharoor Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today conveyed his "shock and deep sadness" to Shashi Tharoor over the demise of his wife Sunanda Pushkar and said he was with him in this hour of grief. "It is with shock and deep sadness that I learnt about your bereavement. The loss of one`s companion is indeed irreparable but I would like you to know that we are with you in this hour of grief. May God give you strength to tide over this difficult time," he wrote. 6:34pm: TDP wants Tharoor to be removed from cabinet While condoling death of Sunanda Pushkar, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu today demanded that Union Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor be removed from the Cabinet till the probe into his wife Sunanda Pushkar`s suspicious death gets over. In a statement issued here today, Chandrababu wanted the police to book a case against Tharoor under the Domestic Violence (Prevention) Act alleging the latter was responsible for Sunanda`s death. 5:56 pm: Drug overdose may have led to Pushkar`s death: Police A drug overdose could be the reason for the death of Sunanda Pushkar, in a hotel here, police sources said. "It could be a case of drug overdose but things would be clear only after the detailed autopsy report," the sources said, adding it could be an overdose of sleeping pills. 5:30 pm: Sunanda Pushkar cremated The mortal remains of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Shashi Tharoor were, consigned to flames here today evening. The cremation took place at the Lodhi Road crematorium in south Delhi, near the couple`s residence in Lodhi Estate. Sunanda`s 21-year-old son Shiv Menon lit the pyre. Pushkar`s husband Shashi Tharoor, her father and brother were among the family members present at the crematorium. 5:15 pm: Sunanda`s body taken to Lodhi Road crematorium Sunanda`s body has been taken to Lodhi Road crematorium. Tharoor and Sunanda`s son Shiv Menon gave shoulder to the body along with two other people. 5:00 pm: Union Minister Shashi Tharoor`s statement to be recorded again on Monday Sunanda`s husband Shashi Tharoor will be questioned again on Monday as mystery surrounded the death of Sunanda, sources said. A magisterial enquiry has already been ordered in the death as the couple got married in August 2010. It was the third marriage for both. 4:55 pm: Sunanda`s last rites to be performed shortly Shashi Tharoor`s wife Sunanda Pushkar who was found dead yesterday in Delhi`s Leela hotel will be cremated shortly at Lodhi Road crematorium today. 4:45 pm: Mystery continues over Sunanda`s death Can`t give details of Sunanda`s post-mortem report as the probe is still on, says AIIMS doctors. They added, “We will conclude our tests and opinion in a couple of days.” However as per the sources, anti-depressants could be reason of Sunanda`s death. 4:40 pm: Sunanda, Shashi fought on flight, says report Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar reportedly had a fight while the couple were enroute to Delhi from Thiruvananthapuram and also at the Delhi hotel. Reports further said that overdose of sleeping pills led to Sunanda`s death. 3:15 pm: Shashi Tharoor`s statement may be recorded again A Crime Branch team has reached The Leela Palace hotel. Shashi Tharoor and his staff may be interrogated again. The minister`s statement may be recorded again, said a report. 2:41 pm: `Sunanda Tharoor died an unnatural, sudden death` The post-mortem of Sunanda Pushkar has been satisfactorily completed, said an AIIMS doctor. Addressing the reporters later, Dr Sudhir Gupta, the head of the Forensic Sciences Department, said samples have been taken for tests related to toxicology and pathology. There are injury marks on the Sunanda`s body and post-mortem report will be out in two-three days. We are focusing on the angle of sudden, unnatural death, said Dr Gupta. Also Read: Pushkar`s death was unnatural, sudden: Doctors 2:25 pm: Autopsy of Sunanda Tharoor complete The autopsy of Sunanda Tharoor, who was found dead last night at a Delhi hotel, has been completed at AIIMS. A distraught Tharoor arrived at the hospital to receive the body of his wife Sunanda. 1:40 pm: `Sunanda had checked into hotel alone` According to reports, Sunanda had booked and checked into the Leela Hotel alone on January 16. She was reportedly looking depressed when she arrived at the hotel. Tharoor arrived a day later, i.e. on Friday, at the Delhi hotel. 1:05 pm: Sunanda`s funeral today Shashi Tharoor`s wife Sunanda will be cremated at 5:30 pm in Delhi. Also Read: Last rites of Sunanda likely on Saturday evening 12:35 pm: Overdose of medicines led to Sunanda`s death? Accidental overdose of medicines could have led to Sunanda Tharoor’s death, said a report. 12:30 pm: BBMs under scrutiny According to reports, police will check the BBMs exchanged between Sunanda Pushkar and Shashi Tharoor. 12:10 pm: Sunanda`s autopsy begins Three-member doctors` team begins Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor`s post-mortem at AIIMS. The process will be completed by 2 pm and the report will be submitted to the sub-divisional magistrate. Also Read: Doctors carry out post-mortem on Sunanda Pushkar`s body 11:40 am: `Sunanda had no life threatening disease` Dr G Vijayaraghavan, the vice chairman of Thiruvanthapuram`s KIMS Hospital where Sunanda was being treated, has said that Shashi Tharoor`s wife did not suffer from any life threatening disease. Also Read: Sunanda Pushkar did not have serious health problems: Doctors 11:33 am: Sunanda underwent medical check up at KIMS Sunanda Pushkar had undergone a series of medical tests at a super-speciality hospital in Thiruvananthapuram earlier this week. Authorities at Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital said the doctors, however, did not take any immediate decision on the course of treatment or medicines to be given. Instead, they then decided to wait till all results are obtained and then meet again and decide on the future course. 11:05 am: Autopsy on Sunanda Pushkar`s body shortly Dr Sudhir Gupta, the head of forensic sciences at AIIMS, said the hospital`s director has constituted a three-member panel of doctors to conduct the post-mortem of Sunanda Pushkar. In a statement, AIIMS said autopsy on Sunanda Pushkar`s body will be conducted shortly. 11:00 am: Shashi Tharoor discharged Shashi Tharoor, who was hospitalised after he complained of chest pain, has now been discharged from AIIMS. Tharoor was initially admitted to the ICU and was later shifted to a ward at the All India Institute of Medical Science. Also Read: Shashi Tharoor complains of chest pain, hospitalised, discharged 10:10 am: Shashi Tharoor stable Union Minister Shashi Tharoor reportedly suffered a `cardiac event` last night when he was admitted to AIIMS. He is now stable, the report added. 9:32 am: BJP seeks probe into Sunanda`s death Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi called for an investigation into Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor`s death, saying truth must be revealed. 9:15 am: Shashi Tharoor hospitalised Union Minister Shashi Tharoor, who was hospitalised after he complained of chest pain and palpitation on Friday night, has now been shifted out of ICU to normal ward of AIIMS. 09:00 am: `Sunanda had not eaten for past two days` The Delhi Police on Friday night questioned Tharoor, his driver as well as his personal assistant. According to reports, the minister`s staff reportedly told the SDM that Sunanda had not eaten for the past two days and was smoking and consuming alcohol. 08:35 am: Sunanda, Shashi were due to check out of hotel today According to reports, Sunanda and Shashi Tharoor, who had checked into the Leela Hotel on Thursday as their home was being painted, were due to check out on Saturday morning. Some reports claim the couple had checked into two separate suites - 342 and 345. 8:00 am: Autopsy likely to be conducted at AIIMS today The body of Sunanda Tharoor has been kept at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, where a post-mortem is likely to be conducted after orders from the magistrate. 12:10 am: Security cover at Tharoor`s Thiruvananthapuram office, home After Sunanda Pushkar, the wife of Union Minister Shashi Tharoor, was found dead in a Delhi hotel on Friday night, a security cover has been provided at his office and home here in Kerala. Tharoor represents the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency and his office is located a stone`s throw from the state secretariat while his home is in a posh residential area. As soon as reports came that Pushkar was found dead, the state police decided to put a security cover at both his office and home. It was only a few days back after a Twitter row broke out between Pushkar and a Pakistani woman journalist, the Left opposition and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state went on record to demand a complete probe as the allegations was levelled by Pushkar. 12:02 am: Sunanda Pushkar was seriously ill, says ex-diplomat Minister Shashi Tharoor`s wife Sunanda Pushkar, who was found dead in a hotel in New Delhi on Friday, was seriously ill, according to a former diplomat and close friend of the minister. TP Sreenivasan, who hails from the state capital and has been a diplomat for more than three decades, told reporters here that Tharoor had informed him of his wife`s illness. "She had undergone treatment in France recently and after check-ups it was found that she had some serious health issues and he was a worried man. I pacified him after hearing it," said Sreenivasan. Reports said the couple had visited a leading private hospital here recently and certain tests were conducted on Pushkar. Sources told a news agency that she was identified with suspected systemic lupus erythematosus (connective tissue disorder) and this is a disease which has no definite treatment. She had also undergone colonoscopy.