Teja Khera prepares for farewell to Haryana’s political stalwart

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar will attend the last rites of former Haryana Chief Minister and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Om Prakash Chautala tomorrow. Dhankhar's flight will land at the Air Force Station at 1:20 pm, after which he will travel by a helicopter to Teja Khera village in Sirsa district. The funeral, with full state honors, will take place at 3 pm.

Chautala’s mortal remains will be kept at his farmhouse in Teja Khera from 8 am to 2 pm for public viewing, allowing supporters and well-wishers to pay their respects. According to INLD sources, the cremation will take place in front of the farmhouse, and a memorial will be built at the same site. Preparations for the arrangements, covering two acres of land, were overseen by Chautala’s grandsons, Rania MLA Arjun Chautala and Karan Chautala.

The former Chief Minister will receive a gun salute as part of the state honors. Approximately 20,000 people are expected to attend the final rites, marking the farewell to one of Haryana’s most significant political leaders.

Dabwali SP Siddhant Jain said 500 police personnel, including five DSPs, have been deployed to ensure security during the ceremony. “VIPs will arrive at the Air Force Station and then proceed to one of the two helipads prepared at Sahab Ram Stadium and Anaj Mandi in Chautala village. From there, they will travel to Teja Khera for the funeral,” he said.

Chautala passed away on Friday at the age of 89 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Gurugram. Despite being rushed to Medanta Hospital, he passed away after about half an hour. His sons, Abhay Chautala and Ajay Chautala, along with his grandson and former Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, were present at the hospital when the news broke.

Notably, Om Prakash Chautala would have celebrated his 90th birthday on January 1, 2025.