Baba Hardev Singh: Funeral procession stalls traffic

A sea of people follow the hearse carrying the mortal remains of Baba Hardev Singh, head of the Sant Nirankari Mission, for cremation in Delhi on Wednesday. The spiritual leader was killed last week in a car crash in Canada and his body was flown back to India for the last rites. He is survived by his wife and three daughters. (Photo: Biplab Banerjee)

Despite scorching heat, devotees of Baba Hardev Singh, head of the Sant Nirankari Mission, thronged Nirankari Mission Ashram at Burari in Delhi to join his funeral possession on Wednesday.

The 62-year-old spiritual leader was killed along with his son-in-law in a road mishap in Canada on Friday.

The miles-long funeral procession brought traffic to a halt in north Delhi. Traffic police had circulated an advisory, informing commuters that movement of general traffic would be closed from Kingsway Camp to Burari Road from 8 am to 12 pm.

The funeral procession passed through Burari Chowk, Outer Ring Road, Kingsway Camp, Delhi University Metro station, IP College, Chandgi Ram Akhara, Ring Road and Kashmere Gate ISBT to reach Nigambodh Ghat.

Traffic was closed from Chandgi Ram Akhara to Nigambodh Ghat because of the funeral procession.

Commuters heading towards south took diversion from Outer Ring Road towards Madhuban Chowk and GTK Road from Mubarka Chowk to Azadpur and then turned right on the Ring Road heading towards Punjabi Bagh.

Motorists destined towards north were diverted through trans-Yamuna region. However, in no time, the diversion routes too witnessed long tailbacks and traffic was thrown out-of-gear.

Sant Nirankari Mission had made provision for live telecast of the last rites of Baba Hardev Singh carried out at the crematorium on website live.nirankari.org.