Two warring brothers, a united family

Perhaps it was a sign of the family's influence that despite the confusion and the delay, the crowd at the crematorium just continued to swell. There were nearly 400 people at the first assigned time of 4.30 pm, but by 9 pm, around 700 had come to attend.

"The two brothers used to live in my colony in Moradabad, and I have come to pay my respects. Though I hadn't met them for several years, I will not leave until the last rites are completed," a shopkeeper from Moradabad Sandeep Sharma said.

When the bodies finally arrived at the crematorium at 9.15 pm, people from all walks of life were present. Om Prakash Chautala and Moradabad MP Azharuddin paid their respects. The luxury cars of the family's business associates lined the Mathura Road outside.

And also present were small shopkeepers, like Singh, who grew up with the brothers.

Despite the bitter fight that had lead to the deaths, the family had maintained that the two brothers would be cremated together. "People told us that since there was no problem with Hardeep's body, we should get the cremation done. But the family decided that they would be cremated side by side," a family member said.

And so it was. As the chants of "Waheguru" went up, and the pyres of the two warring brothers were lit side by side.

Mulayam expresses grief

Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav has expressed grief over the death of businessman Ponty Chadha and his brother Hardeep. In a statement on Sunday, Yadav said the "accident" was very sad. He also expressed sympathy for their family members.

ALSO READ

At AMU, students more bothered about ban on motorbikes than wearing sherwanis

Mulayam pep talk for backward caste leaders

Acquitted in riot case, Varun free of all charges in Pilibhit

Lokayukta files complaint on ‘misuse’ of MLA funds