Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefed on Jayalalithaa’s condition

Well wishers of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa gather outside Apollo hospital where Jayalalithaa is being treated in Chennai. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalithaa’s condition as Apollo Hospitals denied reports of her death. Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, who visited the hospital to enquire about her health, briefed the prime minister. He, however, did not speak to the media. In the evening, Apollo Hospitals released a statement saying that a “large team” of doctors from AIIMS and Apollo are continuing to provide Jayalithaa with “life saving measures”. They rubbished media reports, saying they were “totally baseless and false”. At the AIADMK headquarters in Royapettah, despite no official confirmation of her death, the party’s flag was seen flying at half-mast but was hoisted once again. A scuffle broke out between AIADMK workers and police outside the Apollo Hospital in Chennai after the state media flashed the news of her “death”. A huge police contingent descended in the capital city to prevent any untoward incident.

On Sunday, Tamil Nadu was on alert after Jayalalithaa, under treatment since September 22, suffered a cardiac arrest Sunday evening, according to a bulletin issued by the hospital. “She is being treated and monitored by a team of experts including cardiologists, pulmonologists and critical care specialists,” the bulletin stated.

In tweets later, the hospital said, “She is on extracorporeal membrane heart assist device and is being treated by a team of expert doctors and critical care specialists. Dr Richard Beale from London has also been consulted and he has concurred with the line of treatment by our cardiologists & pulmonologists.”