Wives fight over the dead body: Former India international Kannan's last rites delayed

Bengaluru: Former India footballer P Kannan’s body was left in the morgue for three days and was finally brought to Bengaluru for cremation, following a bitter feud between one of his two former wives and the current wife.

The former forward, who played 14 matches for India, died following a prolonged illness on Sunday as his family said he’s survived by wife Antoinette and two daughters.

But at the time of the body’s release, Kannan’s first wife Vijay Laxmi flew down from Bengaluru to claim possession, producing a marriage certificate.

During the controversy, it also came to light that Kannan also had a third wife, who is not traceable as Antoinette and Vijay Laxmi washed dirty linen in public as the dead body remained at the Gora Bazar morgue in Dum Dum for three days.

“The issue is sorted and his first wife took the body to Bengaluru after Antoinette relented,” South Dum Dum councillor Sanjoy Das told PTI.

Kannan’s Kolkata-based wife Antoinette said she has given a no-objection letter.

“I’ve given a no-objection letter and handed over the body to them. I’ve all the documents. I took care of him when he was alive and needed me. There’s no point fighting over a dead body. It’s just a log. As a wife, I have done my duty. I gave him everything that he needed,” Antoinette told PTI.

“I’ve married to him since 1975. It’s been a long time. And when he was hospitalised, I was with him. There’s no point running for the dead body. He may have 10 wives but they have not done anything for him when he was alive. I didnt know about his marriage,” she added.

For about a decade, the former Mohun Bagan and East Bengal forward was diagnosed with “severe osteoarthritis” that compounded his misery as he was a heart patient and had stent-implantation.

Kannan was one of the few players of extraordinary calibre to have come to Bengal as he plied his trade both in Mohun Bagan (eight years) and East Bengal (two) and represented India at the 1966 Bangkok Asian Games and 1968 Meredeka Cup before leaving the pitch in 1982.

He also won Santosh Trophy for Bengal twice in a row (1971-73) and was the top-scorer.

It was legendary German coach Dettmar Cramer who had given him the best appreciation by calling him ‘Pele of Asia’ in 1968 when he was invited by the AIFF to conduct two-week coaching in Mumbai.