Late playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam was laid to rest on Friday at his farm house near Chennai with a 24-gun salute by Tamil Nadu police, PTI reported. 

Celebrities, leaders, fans and the general public– everyone swarmed at the break of dawn to SP Balasubrahmanyam’s farmhouse, to catch a glimpse of the late playback singer for the last time and pay homage. Despite the coronavirus scare, men and women flocked at his Tamaraipakkam home, 45 kilometers away from Chennai. 

About 500 police personnel were deployed to regulate the unending crowd, several of whom were from distant locations.

Elaborate arrangements including placing barricades to regulate crowds, and earmarking separate entrance for VIPs and the general public, were made by police and vehicles were allowed to park only in designated parking lots.

Funeral rites, with the participation of the singer’s son SP Charan was being carried out by priests and an open ground in a portion of the farm house has been readied for laying the singer to rest.

Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Minister Anil Kumar Yadav, Tiruvallur District Collector Mageswari Ravikumar, Police Superintendent Aravindan, film director and SPB’s friend Bharathiraja, music composer Devi Sri Prasad, singer Mano, comedian Mayilsami were among the celebrities who turned up to pay their last respects.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami had already announced police honours for the singer and a team of police personnel are ready to give thedeparted star singer a gun salute.

AIADMK leader and state fisheries Minister D Jayakumar and DMK youth wing chief Udhayanidhi Stalin were among those who visited the singer’s residence here on Friday to pay homage.

The singer, who was a legend in his own times died on Friday after an unsuccessful battle against COVID-19 for over a month.