NELLORE: The body of Andhra Pradesh IT and Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy, who died of a heart attack in Hyderabad was shifted to Nellore by a Navy Air Ambulance from Begumpet Airport to the Police Parade grounds in the district on Tuesday. Family members of the MInister including his father and former MP M Rajamohan Reddy, mother Mani Manjari, wife Sri Keerthi, his daughter were among those who took the special helicopter deployed by the army for shifting the body following a request from the Chief Secretary Dr. Sameer Sharma.

Goutham Reddy's mortal remains were brought to his residence in Nellore at 11:30 AM, for the public and his followers to pay their last respects to the departed leader. Goutham Reddy's son Arjuna Reddy is likely to reach Nellore on Tuesday night from America.

The venue of the funeral was changed and will now be held at the Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy Institute of Technology and Science (MeRITS), the college owned by the Mekapati family in Udayagiri on Wednesday. The responsibility for the funeral arrangements has been entrusted to State Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh and Water Resources Minister Anil Kumar Yadav, who was very close to Goutham Reddy by virtue of them being from the same district. Minister Anil Kumar Yadav and Nellore district YSRCP president Kakani Govardhan were seen personally overseeing the arrangements. Once the mortal remains reached Nellore large number of people, his followers, and the YSRCP district cadre were seen flocking to his house to pay their last respects.

The funeral will be held on MeRITS campus grounds in Udayagiri on Wednesday with State honours. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the late Minister’s Cabinet Colleagues, YSRCP MLAs, MPs and party workers, and people from Atmakur constituency and his followers will be attending the funeral held with State honours.

Mekapati Goutham Reddy passed away following a heart attack on Monday morning at a private hospital in Hyderabad. He was 50. He was rushed to Apollo Hospitals by his family after he collapsed at his residence in Hyderabad in the early hours of Monday. Despite the doctors' best efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9.16 AM. The AP government has declared a two-day state mourning as a mark of respect for the Minister.

Watch: Mekapati Goutham Reddy Mortal Remains Shifted To Nellore