Karunanidhi dead: Tamil Nadu declares public holiday on Wednesday, 7-day mourning

The Tamil Nadu government has declared a public holiday on Wednesday to mourn the demise of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, who died on Tuesday evening at Kauvery Hospital in Chennai. The state government has also declared official seven-day mourning.

All schools across Tamil Nadu have also declared holiday on Wednesday to mourn the demise of the Kalaignar of Indian polity.

Meanwhile, as part of security measures to avoid any untoward incident, neighbouring Karnataka had decided to suspend Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus services to Tamil Nadu.

Several movie theatres across Tamil Nadu also declared that they had cancelled shows on Tuesday evening.

Kauvery Hospital confirmed that the DMK patriarch had passed shortly after 6.30 pm on Tuesday. The hospital released a statement which read, “With deep anguish, we announce the demise of our beloved Kalaignar Dr M Karunanidhi on 07.08.2018 at 6.10 PM. Despite the best possible efforts by our team of doctors and nurses to resuscitate him, he failed to respond. We profoundly mourn the loss of one of the tallest leaders of India and we share the grief of family member and fellow Tamilians worldwide.”

Politicians from across party lines, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, paid tributes to the political stalwart, who became Tamil Nadu Chief Minister five times. Prime Minister Modi termed him as a "deep-rooted mass leader" and a "stalwart", saying that his life was devoted to the welfare of the poor and the marginalised.

Prime Minister Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, among others, are expected to attend Karunanidhi's last rites in Chennai.