Bengaluru, Dec. 16 -- The final rites of Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, a veteran Congress leader and one of Karnataka's longest serving legislators, were held on Monday in Davanagere.

Shivashankarappa, who died on Sunday evening at 94 after battling age related ailments, was cremated at the Kaleshwara Rice Mill in Davanagere in keeping with Veerashaiva Lingayat customs. His body was taken in a procession spanning about 15 kilometres from his residence to the cremation site, reaching there around 6 pm. The police accorded a gun salute and the tricolour was draped over his mortal remains.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge were among those who paid their respects. Spir...