Chennai/IBNS/UNI: The body of actor-politician and DMDK founder, Vijayakanth, who passed away on Thursday morning, will be shifted to the sprawling Island grounds in Chennai to enable the public to pay their homage.

Following a request from his wife and DMDK General Secretary Premalatha to keep the body at the Rajaji Hall, where the mortal remains of the leading lights of Tamil Nadu, including Annadurai, MGR, J Jayalalithaa, were kept for the public to pay homage, the Tamil Nadu Government decided to shift it to the Island grounds.

The body will be kept at Island grounds from 6 AM to 1 PM on Friday after which his final journey will begin and be taken to the DMDK office where it will be laid to rest with full state honours.

Following the government's decision, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner J.Radhakrishnan inspected the arrangements at the Island grounds, from where his final journey will commence.

Hundreds and thousands of people, including top political leaders across party lines, film actors, actresses, and wailing DMDK cadres thronged the party office in massive numbers. Police had a difficult time controlling the surging crowd, which kept increasing with every passing second.

Several areas in the city witnessed traffic snarls and considering these it has been decided to shift his body to the Island grounds, officials said.

Earlier, from the MIOT hospital where he breathed his last, his body was taken to his Valasaravakkam residence and then shifted to the DMDK office opposite the Koyambedu Mofussil Bus terminus.

Apart from top political leaders in the country, condolences also poured in from across the globe.

Meanwhile, the Tamil film industry announced that all the shooting events would be cancelled on Friday as a mark of respect to the departed leader, who had brought back the loss-making South Indian Film Artistes Association, back to profitability during its tenure as its President.

Shops and commercial establishments will also remain closed in some of the districts till noon as a mark of respect to Vijayakanth.