Siddhartha's last rites to be performed today in Chikkamagaluru

CCD owner's final rites to be performed as per Vokkaliga tradition

FILES-INDIA-COFFEE-BUSINESSMAN-CRIME-LAW-MISSING [File] Coffee tycoon V.G. Siddhartha | AFP

The last rites of V.G. Siddhartha, owner of India's largest cafe chain Coffee Day Enterprises, will be held Wednesday evening at 5pm in his native village Chikkenahalli in Karnataka's Chikkamagaluru. Siddhartha's body has been taken from Wenlock Hospital near Mangaluru to Chikkenahalli, where his aged parents reside. Siddhartha was their only son.

The mortal remains will be kept at the ABC company office premises on Kadur Road in Chikkamangaluru from 2pm to 4:30pm for the public to pay tributes, after which the final rites will be performed as per Vokkaliga tradition. Many business establishments will remain shut in the state as a mark of respect to Siddhartha.

Siddhartha's body had washed ashore near Ullal and was fished out by local fishermen early morning on Wednesday. The coffee tycoon had gone missing from Ullal bridge on Netravati river where his driver had dropped him on Monday evening. 

Siddhartha's father-in-law and former Karnataka chief minister S.M. Krishna has left from his residence in Bengaluru to attend the last rites. A host of political leaders and other influencers, including recently sworn-in Karnataka CM B.S. Yediyurappa, are expected to the funeral in Chikkamagaluru. Yediyurappa is expected to arrive in Chikkamagaluru by 1.30pm. 

Many political leaders took to the Twitter to condole the death of Siddhartha, who catapulted Indian coffee to the global stage. CM Yediyurappa tweeted in Kannada to mourn the passing away of CCD founder. "A tragic end to the coffee King #VGsiddartha is really disappointing. My heart goes out to the family, friends & his well-wishers. He'll forever live in the heart & minds of thousands. Indeed a great loss to country! #OmShanthi," tweeted BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders are squarely blaming the Narendra Modi-government's policies for Siddhartha's business woes, which had worsened over the past couple of years. Congress's Milind Deora wrote: "Saddened by #VGSiddhartha’s untimely death. My condolences to team @CafeCoffeeDay & Siddharth’s family. Siddharth’s letter must be investigated. Risk & failure are an integral part of the entrepreneurial story. Suicide isn’t. Hope govt reflects on its anti-business policies!". 

"The death of V G Siddhartha is both disturbing &mysterious. The reasons & the invisible hands that ended his life in this tragic way should be unearthed through impartial &fair investigation. Our party & I shall always stand with Shri. S M Krishna in their fight for justice," tweeted former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. "The letter supposed to have written by V G Siddhartha few days before his death has discussed about tax terrorism, which is an ugly face of politically motivated institutions. What signals are we sending to the budding entrepreneurs without even an attempt to reform?" he asked.

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