Crowds gathered along the route to pay their respects, from the Thalappadi check post on the Kerala border to Kasaragod and Kannur. The body was received at the Kozhikode district border by Minister A K Saseendran, MLA K K Rema and District Collector Snehil Kumar.

The funeral procession reached Pooladikunnu around 7.30 am, and finally arrived at Arjun’s house in Kannadikkal by 9.30 am, escorted by both Kerala and Karnataka police. Karwar MLA Satish Krishna Sail, Manjeswaram MLA A K M Ashraf and diver Ishwar Malpe accompanied the mourners to the house, where Minister K B Ganesh Kumar also paid his respects.

During the hour-long public homage at Amaravati, the house that Arjun himself built, hundreds came to bid farewell. The sight of Arjun’s three-year-old son, Ayaan, who had been waiting for his father with hope, moved everyone to tears. His wife, Krishnapriya, sisters Anju and Abhirami, mother Sheela and father Preman were devastated as they saw Arjun’s lifeless body. His lorry owner, Manaf, was also present, offering his last respects with tear-filled eyes.