Tamil Nadu announces 5-day state mourning for Nelson Mandela

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government has announced a five-day state mourning for former South African president Nelson Mandela who died yesterday. An official statement from the Public (Protocol I) Department of the the state government here late last night said as a mark of respect to the departed leader, "state mourning will be observed" till December 10, starting late on December 6.

"The national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout the state where it is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment," it said asking officials concerned to take all required action in this matters. It also expressed "profound regret" over the passing away of the anti-apartheid icon, also a Bharat Ratna recipient.