NEW DELHI: Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, who headed the one-man commission that investigated the circumstances leading to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, died on Sunday at the age of 87.Punjab and Haryana high court bar association President Rohit Sud confirmed his death, saying Justice Liberhan passed away in Chandigarh. His last rites will be held on Monday.Justice Liberhan began practising law at the Punjab and Haryana high court in 1964. He was elected to the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council in August 1970 and remained a member until February 11, 1987. During this period, he also served as the Bar Council's secretary from January 1976 to June 1983.

He was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court on February 11, 1987. In July 1997, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Madras high court before taking over as Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh high court in February 1998.On December 16, 1992, days after the demolition of the Babri Masjid, the Centre appointed Justice Liberhan to head the one-man Liberhan Commission to probe the events leading up to the incident. The commission went on to become one of the longest-running inquiries in India's history.