Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa died in Chennai after 75 days of hospitalisation, Apollo Hospitals announced in a press release on Monday.
Jayalalithaa was readmitted to the critical care unit (CCU) of Chennai’s Apollo Hospital after she suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening.
The 68-year-old AIADMK supremo was
readmitted shortly after the party announced that she had been given a clean bill of health by a team of medical specialists.
Here are the LIVE updates:
12:06pm: PM Narendra Modi arrives in Chennai to pay his respects to J Jayalalithaa
12 noon: IAF plane carrying President Pranab Mukherjee to Chennai returns to Delhi after facing a technical snag: PTI
11:46am: Tamil superstar Rajinikanth pays his respects to Jayalalithaa, whose body is at Rajaji hall in Chennai
11:42am: Maharashtra Assembly adjourns for the day after offering their condolences to the late former chief minister. Motion moved by Maharashtra CM, Devendra Fadnavis
11:35am: Odisha assembly also adjourns for the day. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik to attend Jayalalithaa’s last rites
11:05am: Both houses of Parliament adjourn for the day after offering their condolences to former chief minister Jayalalithaa. A minute of silence was also observed
10:05 am: The Rajya Sabha will adjourn for the day as a mark of respect to JJayalalitha, who was a member of the Upper House from 1984 to 89
9:10am: Chennai shuts down as Tamil Nadu mourns the death of its 18th chief minister
8:25am: Funeral to be held at 4:30pm at Marina beach
8:25am: Shops down shutters in Coimbatore as Tamil Nadu mourns Jayalalithaa’s death: ANI
8:24am: The chief minister, who was elected for a second consecutive term this May, is being accorded a state funeral. Flags will be flown at half mast and ceremonial functions have been cancelled
8:22am: Centre declares one day of national mourning and the Kerala government announces a public holiday for state offices and educational institutes
7:57am:
7:55am: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will leave for Chennai later on Tuesday to pay his last respects to Jayalalithaa: ANI
7:45am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to leave for Chennai to pay homage to Jayalalithaa, after paying homage to BR Ambedkar at Parliament House, reports ANI
6:55am: Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu pays tribute to Jayalalithaa at Rajaji Hall
6.25am: Tamil Nadu government declares public holiday under Negotiable Instrument Act as a mark of respect to Jayalalithaa, reports ANI
6.20am:
6am: Jayalalithaa’s cremation to be held on Tuesday evening
5.50am: Jayalalithaa’s body being taken from her residence Poes Garden to Rajaji Hall where people can pay last respects
3.30am: I offer deep condolences on passing away of Jayalalithaa. Wishes of lakhs of her followers will make her immortal, DMK chief Karunanidhi tells ANI.
3am: Clashes between police and Jayalalithaa supporters in Poes Garden. Police trying to keep barricades intact.
2.20am: Jayalalithaa’s body begins its final journey from Apollo Hospital to Poes Garden. Cries of “Puratchi Thalaivi Amma” can be heard.
1.10am: Express my condolences to people of Tamil Nadu, may her soul rest in peace: Governor C Vidyasagar Rao
1.02am: O Panneerselvam unanimously elected as the Tamil Nadu chief minister by AIADMK leaders.
1am: State mourning will be observed for seven days from today, says Tamil Nadu chief secretary.
12.45am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences over Jayalalithaa’s demise.
“I will always cherish the innumerable occasions when I had the opportunity to interact with Jayalalithaa ji (honorific). May her soul rest in peace,” Modi said on Twitter.
12.30am: A three day mourning has been declared in the state. Schools and colleges will also remain closed.
12:15am: Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa has died, Apollo Hospital says in a statement.
11.45pm: CM’s convoy being readied at Apollo hospital, heavy security presence around Poes garden.
11.40pm: AIADMK MLAs have gone into a huddle after finance minister O Panneerselvam arrived late around 11 pm to the party headquarters where they are likely to discuss the way forward. Party sources have indicated that in all likelihood Panneerselvam would be chosen as the leader of the AIADMK legislative party.
11.15pm: Senior AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam reaches party headquarters, reports ANI.
10pm: A meeting of ruling AIADMK MLAs in Tamil Nadu which was expected to discuss key issues in the wake of the “grave” health situation of party supremo and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, could not be held as planned and has since been postponed, party sources told PTI on Monday night.
9pm: Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who has been camping in Tamil Nadu since this morning, has apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the latest health condition of Jayalalithaa.
8pm: A near total shutdown like situation prevailed in Chennai with shops and other establishments downing shutters and office goers returning home early
7pm: AIADMK MLAs meeting underway at party headquarters, says ANI.
6:30pm: Union minister Venkaiah Naidu was spotted at the Apollo Hospital in Chennai.
5:55pm: Minutes after local TV channels claimed Jayalalithaa was dead, Chennai’s Apollo Hospital said the rumours were “baseless and false”.
“Some TV channels are wrongly reporting that honorable chief minister is no more. This is totally baseless and false. They are advised to rectify this mistake, based on this press release.” S Vishwanathan, chief operating officer, Apollo Hospitals said in a statement.
5:45pm: Local TV reports say Jayalalithaa has died.
5:00pm: Apollo Hospital’s latest tweet says their team of doctors are closely monitoring and treating Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa but her condition remains critical.
4:30pm: Reactions from Opposition parties in the State have come. Everyone prays for her speedy recovery.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko visited Apollo Hospital and said, “She detained me under anti-terror law but apart from politics I treat her like sister. She will come out of this crisis. The best medical treatment has been given, we should not speculate anything.”
BJP State president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan also arrived at Greams Lane on Monday, she said, “Her condition is critical, but I have seen patients recovering from such illness; she is a fighter.”
• 3.35pm: Dr Richard Beale, a London based specialist in Intensive Care Medicine at Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital, has issued a statement saying, “The situation is extremely grave, but I can confirm that everything possible is being done to give her the best chance of surviving this shocking event.”
The Apollo Hospital had consulted Dr Beale last month after Jayalalithaa was hospitalised.
He was consulted again on Sunday after the Tamil Nadu chief minister suffered a cardiac arrest.
“I was most saddened to hear yesterday (Sunday) that Madam Chief Minister suffered a cardiac arrest,” Beale said in his statement.
Beale adds: “...in spite of the progress she had made, her underlying health conditions inevitably meant that the risk of further problems always remained”
Here is the full statement
• 3.15pm:
• 2.15pm: US consulate in Chennai issues advisory for American citizens in the city: “...even gatherings intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. You should avoid areas of demonstrations, and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations.”
“The US Consulate General in Chennai operating with reduced staffing on December 5, 2016, and has temporarily suspended appointments for routine services to US citizens and visa applicants. The Consulate will provide updates when routine services are restored.”
Emergency contact numbers: Consulate in Chennai: +91-44-2857-4000, US embassy in New Delhi: +91-11-2419-8000.
• 12.50pm: A statement issued by Apollo Hospitals on Jayalalithaa’s health condition says she “continues to be very critical and is on ECMO and other life support systems.”
• 12.20pm:
• 12.03pm: Amma supporters arrange special poojas at Sakthi Vinayagar Temple in Mumbai’s Dharavi for the speedy recovery of Jayalalithaa.
11.34am: Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu to go to Chennai on Monday to take stock of Jayalalithaa’s health condition
• 11.14am: If Tamil Nadu requires help, we (Centre) are willing. The Union home ministry will put forces on standby, but we can’t intervene on our own: Kiren Rijiju, minister of state for home affairs, tells ANI
• 11.00am: After Chennai, security increased in Coimbatore and along Tamil Nadu borders with Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka in view of CM Jayalalithaa’s health condition
• 9.48am: “Jayalalithaa, who suffered cardiac arrest (on Sunday evening), had surgery this morning. She’s fine now,” AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi tells NDTV.
• 9.45am: Union health minister JP Nadda says the Centre is in regular touch with Apollo Hospital and Tamil Nadu government.
“We have sent a team from Delhi AIIMS to Chennai. They (Apollo Hospitals) needed doctors and we have sent them that. The government is doing whatever is possible for us. We hope and pray for Jayalalithaa’s speedy recovery,” Nadda tells ANI.
• 9.38am: Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan and BJP Rajya Sabha MP La Ganesan reach Apollo Hospital to enquire about CM Jayalalithaa’s health
• 9.10am: Heavy police deployment on Greams Lane as more supporters gather outside Apollo Hospital
Supporters and police outside the hospital (ANI on Twitter)
• 8.30am: All roads leading to the Apollo Hospital on Greams Lane blocked by Chennai traffic police to avoid any congestion. Thousands of supporters already outside the hospital
• 7.00am: Huge police barricading as the number of supporters grows outside Apollo Hospital. Amma still in critical care unit. CRPF teams put on high alert.
• 6.50am: Tamil actor Sarathkumar arrives at the hospital to meet the Tamil Nadu CM. “With all blessings she will come out of this situation. She is being treated by the medical team,” the actor tells ANI.
• December 5 (Monday), 6am: Supporters stay put outside the Apollo Hospital all night praying for Jayalalithaa. Tearful eyes amid high police security seen all over.
• 11.54pm: DMK leader MK Stalin tweets: “I sincerely hope that the treatments being given to the TN CM prove successful and she recovers completely.”
• Tamil Nadu governor Vidyasagar Rao reaches Apollo Hospital in Chennai to inquire about CM Jayalalithaa’s health.
Police stop supporters of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa after they gather outside the hospital in Chennai. (Reuters)
• Additional police personnel were deployed at Greams Lane outside the hospital, which eventually filled up with AIADMK supporters.
• Tamil Nadu police were on standby to avert any law and order problems though reinforcements had not been sought from the Centre till midnight. The party maintains that Amma – as the six-time chief minister is reverently known among her supporters – was completely fine.
• Tamil Nadu governor C Vidyasagar Rao arrives in Chennai around 11pm and discusses Jayalalithaa’s health situation with home minister Rajnath Singh. President Pranab Mukherjee and political leaders across the country wish the chief minister a speedy recovery.
• 10.59pm: Jayalalithaa was put on an extracorporeal membrane heart-assist device and was being treated by a team of critical care specialists, Apollo Hospital tweets.
“Dr Richard Beale from London has also been consulted and he has concurred with the line of treatment by our cardiologists and pulmonologists,” the hospital adds.
• December 4 (Sunday), 10.58pm: “The Honourable Chief Minister of Tamilnadu who is undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospitals,Greams Road, suffered a cardiac arrest this evening, ” tweets Apollo Hospital
