From celebrities, fans to the general public, mourners lined up at Tamaraipakkam near here on Saturday to pay homage to star singer S P Balasubrahmanyam, popularly known as SPB. At the break of dawn, men and women trooped to the sprawling farm house of the veteran singer to pay their last respects despite restrictions in view of the coronavirus pandemic and about 500 police personnel were deployed to regulate the unceasing crowd, several of whom were from distant locations.

Tamaraipakkam is about 45 kilometers from here. People turned up in rows after rows and paid their respects as the calm looking SPB’s face inside a freezer cabinet triggered their own memories in relation to the innumerable songs he had sung.

Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Minister Anil Kumar Yadav, Tiruvallur District Collector Mageswari Ravikumar, Police Superintendent Aravindan, film director and SPB’s friend Bharathiraja, music composer Devi Sri Prasad, singer Mano, comedian Mayilsami were among the celebrities who turned up to pay their last respects. Elaborate arrangements including placing barricades to regulate crowds, and earmarking separate entrance for VIPs and the general public, were made by police and vehicles were allowed to park only in designated parking lots.

Funeral rites, with the participation of the singer’s son S P Charan was being carried out by priestsand an open ground in a portion of the farm house has been readied for laying the singer to rest. Chief Minister K Palaniswami had already announced police honours for the singer and a team of police personnel are ready to give thedeparted star singer a gun salute.

AIADMK leader and state fisheries Minister D Jayakumar and DMK youth wing chief Udhayanidhi Stalin were among those who visited the singer’s residence here on Friday to pay homage. The singer, who was a legend in his own times died on Friday after an unsuccessful battle against COVID-19 for over a month.