Jamshedpur, March 27: The mood at the residence of former Assembly Speaker Mrigendra Pratap Singh was sombre.

Singh?s eight-year-old grandson Yashwardhan Singh and 10-year-old granddaughter Parthav Singh were inconsolable. Son Abhay Kumar Singh looked dazed with grief after performing the last rites of his father. The usual flow of visitors and fleet of cars were also conspicuous by their absence as the main gate of Singh?s residence remained closed throughout the day.

News of the veteran politician?s death on the eve of Holi had sent shock waves across the city. Sixty-five-year-old Singh breathed his last at Tata Main Hospital around 11.50 pm on March 24. He had been admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital on February 18 after he complained of chest pain.

On February 19, he was shifted to the critical care unit, where he was kept on ventilator. However, he slipped into a coma. Governor Syed Sibtey Razi and chief minister Arjun Munda met Singh?s family member to express their condolences. ?I am shocked at the demise of Singh. He had always worked for the downtrodden section of society. He was such a good orator and a sensible politician,? wrote Razi in the visitors? book kept at the funeral, which was held on March 25.

?Singh?s constructive endeavours are worth remembering. His death is a great loss to the state,? wrote Munda, who walked all the way to the crematorium, along with the funeral procession.

Politicians from different parties took part in the funeral procession, which converged at Subernarekha ghat. Prominent among them were leader of the Opposition Sudhir Mahto, former MPs from Jamshedpur Rudra Pratap Sarangi and Shailendra Mahto, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Sunil Mahto, state BJP president Raghubar Das, Saryu Rai, P.N. Singh, Samajwadi Party state president Banna Gupta, Jharkhand People?s Party?s Surya Singh Besra and Independent MLA Madhu Koda. Singhbhum-Kolhan commissioner Chintu Nayak, deputy inspector-general of police Ram Chandra Ram, East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Sunil Kumar Burnwal and superintendent of police Sanjay Anand Lathkar were also present at the funeral. The corporate bigwigs were represented by managing director of Jusco Sanjeev Paul and general manager (town services), Tata Steel, Kamal Midha. Singh served as the first finance minister of the state from December 1, 2000 to July 6, 2004. He was appointed Assembly Speaker on August 18, 2004.

The state government has declared a three-day state mourning.