Anniversary of Gandhi's killing observed

NEW DELHI, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- India Wednesday marked the 60th anniversary of the assassination of Mohandas Gandhi, revered as a "Great Soul," who led the campaign for freedom from Britain.

Ashes of the Mahatma, preserved in an urn since his cremation, were mixed in the waters of the Arabian Sea off the coast of Mumbai in western Maharasthra State by his great-granddaughter Nilamben Parikh as part of Hindu rites.

Gandhi, also described as a messiah of non-violence and the Father of the Nation, was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic in 1948 for his support of the creation of Pakistan following India's independence in 1947.

In New Delhi, Indian President Pratibha Patil led an inter-religious prayer meeting, the Press Trust of India reported. Patil was joined by other Indian leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the nation's defense chiefs.