New Delhi, May 20: The body of former Kerala Chief Minister and CPI-M veteran E K Nayanar, who died here after protracted illness last evening, was flown to Thiruvananthapuram this morning.
The special IAF aircraft carrying Nayanar's body left the Capital at around 6.45 am.

A wreath was placed on his body at the Air Force terminal on behalf of President APJ Abdul Kalam by the officials of Rashtrapati Bhawan.

CPI-M politburo member Prakash Karat, S Ramachandran Pillai, E Balanandan and Francis George, MP, accompanied the body along with Nayanar's wife Sharda, son Krishna Kumar and other family members.

Nayanar's body, which was placed at the CPI-M headquarters AKG Bhawan and Kerala House here last night for leaders and party cadres to pay last respect, was taken from the Kerala House at around 5.15 am today.

Chief Minister A K Antony and senior Congress leader V M Sudheeran accompanied the body to the airport.

In Thiruvananthapuram, the body will be placed at state CPI-M headquarters AKG center and later at the Darbar Hall in the state secretariat.

It will be taken by road to Kozhikode in the afternoon enroute to his native Kannur district where it will be cremated at Pyyampalam beach as par the last wishes of the Marxist leader.
Nayanar, who was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here on April 26 was initially suffering from diabetes and foot ulcer.

Later he suffered a major heart attack and both of his kidneys failed and he was put on life support system. He developed pneumonia on Tuesday evening and septisemia yesterday and died at 5 pm. Bureau Report