Two acres and Rs.10 cr for Vishnuvardhan memorial

Bangalore, Dec 30 (IANS) Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Wednesday announced a grant of Rs.10 crore and two acres of land to build a memorial for Kannada film superstar Vishnuvardhan, who died early morning following a heart attack.

The chief minister said after inspecting the site for the cremation of the body of the 60-year-old actor that the memorial would be built in consultation with Vishnuvardhan's family members.

"We have decided to give Rs.10 crore. Two acres of land at Abhimani Studios (in south Bangalore where the cremation was to take place in the evening) would also be given and the memorial will be built in consultation with Vishnuvardhan's family," Yeddyurappa said.

Bangalore city police commissioner Shankar Bidari, Bangalore South Lok Sabha member H.N. Ananth Kumar, Transport Minister R. Ashok and Vishnuvardhan's close friend and Kannada film actor M.H. Ambareesh, a former Congress Lok Sabha member, also inspected the site and security arrangements for the cremation.

Elaborate security was in place in south Bangalore, where the actor resided, and other places in the city. The city had witnessed large scale violence following the death of thespian Raj Kumar in April 2006. The body of Raj Kumar was also cremated at Abhimani Studios and a memorial is coming up around the site.