NELLORE: Hundreds of followers paid tearful adieu to the deceased industries minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy on Wednesday. The funeral was held with full state honours at Mekapati Institute of Technology and Sciences at Udayagiri.
Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy attended the funeral and paid his last respects to his closest friend. However, the CM had a tough time in managing his emotions at the funeral site as he was unable to console Goutham's father Rajamohan Reddy and children when they wept and wailed while making arrangements to perform the final rites.
The chief minister reached the college grounds in a chopper from Kadapa airport at around 11.15 am. Rajamohan Reddy cried aloud soon after seeing the chief minister and wept by showing him the body of his son. Jagan's eyes turned moist when he set a piece of sandalwood on the pyre. He was unable to look into the eyes of wailing Rajamohan Reddy. He consoled Goutham's son Krishnarjun Reddy and daughter Ananya.
Goutham's mother Mani Manjari fell unconscious and wife Sri Keerthi wept inconsolably. Jagan Mohan Reddy's wife, Bharati, comforted Sri Keerthi and consoled the children. Ministers Anil Kumar Yadav, Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, TTD chairman YV Subbareddy, education minister Dr A Suresh tried to console the kin of Goutham Reddy.
