VHP leader who died during protests in Himachal cremated

Hamirpur (HP), Sep 29 (PTI) VHP leader Virendra Parmar, who died due to cardiac arrest on Saturday while taking part in a procession-cum-rally by Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, was cremated on Sunday.

His only son Kshitiz, who studies in the ninth class, lit the funeral pyre in the presence of hundreds of locals and activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Hindu organisations. People were in tears when the boy lit the pyre.

Prominent among those present at the crematorium were Vijay Agnihotri and former BJP MLA from Nadaun, Pankaj Bhartiyam the state assistant secretary of the VHP.

Demonstrations were held across Himachal Pradesh districts at the call of Devbhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, which has been spearheading a movement for the demolition of a mosque in Sanjauli for weeks, as well as mandatory verification of migrants.

Meanwhile, Hamirpur Police has registered a case against Pankaj Bharti, Kuldeep, Surjeet Thakur, Anand Pandey, Hoshiyar Singh, Ashish, Kamal, Shivam, Kapil Mohan Shama, Sunil, Sher Singh and Pradeep under various sections for allegedly giving inflammatory speeches and inciting religious sentiments. PTI COR MNK MNK MNK