After many tense hours following initial reports that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalithaa had passed away, Apoll Hospital confirmed that the AIADMK supremo had breathed her last at 11.30 pm. Earlier, the hospital denied media reports that Jayalalithaa passed away on Monday evening, saying that doctors from both AIIMS and Apollo continue provide her with “life-saving measures”. Dismissing the reports as “totally baseless and false”, Apollo asked news channels to rectify their “mistake”. Confusion gripped Tamil Nadu as news of Jayalalithaa’s “death” was flashed by Tamil news channels and picked up by the national media. Soon, a scuffle broke out between AIADMK supporters and police with the former throwing stones and upturning barricades outside Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Police, deployed in large numbers to preempt any untoward incident, were forced to resort to lathicharge. Even the party flag was seen flying at half mast at the AIADMK headquarters in Royapettah after the reports of her death, but it was hoisted once again after the hospital issued a denial. The chief minister, who has been in Apollo since September 22, had suffered the cardiac arrest on Sunday evening.

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WATCH | Jayalalithaa Medical Report Self-Explanatory, No Info Held Back, Says Tamil Nadu Health Secretary

The party MLAs are scheduled to meet later this evening, apparently to chalk out the next course of action. Though party sources did not reveal the agenda of the meeting scheduled in the evening, they, however, confirmed that the legislators would discuss key matters.

The AIADMK chief suffered the cardiac arrest hours after her party told media that she has fully recovered and will be returning home soon. Born in 1948, Jayalalithaa started her career as an actress in South Indian films. In 1982, she joined the AIADMK, which was founded by her mentor MG Ramachandran. She first became the chief minister of Tamil Nadu in 1991. She has ruled the state for over 15 years.</s>The life of the leader of India's southern state of Tamil Nadu hung in the balance on Monday after she went into cardiac arrest, drawing large crowds to the hospital where doctors were fighting to save the hugely popular former actress.

Jayalalithaa Jayaraman went into cardiac arrest on Sunday night, the Apollo Hospital in the state capital Chennai said, her condition deteriorating sharply after her admission with a severe respiratory ailment in September.

Popularly known as "Amma", or "Mother" in Tamil, the 68-year-old former film actress was introduced into politics by her screen partner M.G. Ramachandran and went on to serve as chief minister of Tamil Nadu five times.

Jayalalithaa remains hugely popular despite being jailed more than once for corruption. She has no obvious successor - during her latest illness her picture was put in the chair at the head of the table at state cabinet meetings.

Police were deployed in large numbers in case emotional crowds of devoted supporters reacted strongly to further developments. Supporters have been known to commit suicide in the past in reaction to bad news.</s>One of India’s most popular politicians, Jayalalithaa Jayaraman, died on Dec. 5 following a massive cardiac arrest, setting off an outpouring of grief among thousands of supporters gathered outside. Her political party and the hospital where she was being treated confirmed the popular former film actress and chief minister of Tamil Nadu , widely known as “Amma” or “Mother”, had died at the age of 68.

“Our beloved leader, The Iron Lady of India … is no more,” tweeted her AIADMK party, the third-largest party in India’s lower house of parliament in New Delhi. Her death deprived her regional ruling party of its only charismatic leader, whose portrait adorned placards and posters around her home state and who was tipped as a possible future Indian prime minister.

Jayalalithaa had gone into cardiac arrest on Dec. 4 night, the Apollo Hospital in Chennai said, following her admission with fever and dehydration in September. Despite being resuscitated and put on life support, “her underlying conditions rendered her unable to recover and she passed away at 11:30 p.m.”, the hospital said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the tributes, tweeting that Jayalalithaa’s death had left a huge void in Indian politics. “Jayalalithaa ji’s connect with the citizens, concern for welfare of the poor, the women and marginalized will always be a source of inspiration,” Modi said.The news of her death was met with howls of grief and tears from the crowd of supporters outside the hospital. Rumors earlier in the evening that she had died, which proved to be false, led to brief unrest.

Cult Following 

 About 2,000 policemen were deployed around the hospital in case crowds of devoted supporters reacted strongly to Jayalalithaa’s death. Supporters have been known to commit suicide in reaction to bad news.

“Nothing can kill Amma,” said one man holding a picture of the leader outside the hospital earlier as doctors battled to save her life.

 Aloof and powerful, Jayalalithaa had a cult following among the people of Tamil Nadu that endured even though she went to jail for corruption more than once.

She began a film career at 16 and rose to stardom with dozens of hit Tamil films, often with her screen partner M.G. Ramachandran, an actor-turned politician who then served three terms as chief minister of Tamil Nadu state.

With voters ready to confer god-like status on their matinee idols, she also went into politics and trumped her mentor by serving five times as head of the state government.

Jayalalithaa leaves behind a legacy of populist schemes, including giving away free cellphones, laptops and kitchen grinders that endeared her to millions of voters. She also drew foreign investors to India’s second largest state economy.

 Auto giants Ford Motor , Daimler, Hyundai and Nissan have operations in Chennai as has U.S.-listed outsourcing firm Cognizant.

Leadership Vacuum

 Her death opens up a leadership vacuum in her AIADMK party, which she ran with an iron hand with designated successor.

During her latest illness, her picture was put in a chair at the head of the table at state cabinet meetings.

O.P. Panneerselvam, a cabinet colleague, has stood in for Jayalalithaa in the past, but he has repeatedly made it clear he was not replacing her. He pointedly refused to take her place at the head of the cabinet table while she was ill.

“There is no second line of defense here, and these are emotive times. There is a chance of violence,” said T.R. Ramachandran, an independent expert on Tamil Nadu politics.

The AIADMK and its bitter rival, the DMK party, are the main political groupings in Tamil Nadu. Both are built around a personality cult of their leaders, both of whom are drawn from the Tamil film industry.

 India’s two national parties, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress, have little political presence in the state, despite decades of efforts.

The death of Jayalalithaa’s mentor Ramachandran, or MGR as he was known, sparked looting and rioting across Tamil Nadu by his grief-stricken supporters in 1987.

The U.S. consulate in Chennai asked American citizens to avoid areas where demonstrations were happening and be vigilant because of the chance of violence.

“U.S. citizens are reminded that even gatherings intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence,” the consulate said in a notice posted on its website.</s>Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa passed away at 11.30 p.m. on Monday at the Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. She was 68. The mortal remains of Ms. Jayalalithaa will be taken to Poes Garden first and after completion of rituals , will be taken to Rajaji Hall on Tuesday.

Arrangements are being made at Apollo Hospitals to take her mortal remains to Poes Garden, Ms. Jayalalithaa's official residence. The government has announced three days holiday in view of the mourning period.

Ms. Jayalalithaa’s health took a turn for the worse when she suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening at the Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, where she had been undergoing treatment since September 22 for dehydration and fever. She has been on extracorporeal life support since then.

Early on Monday evening, a few television channels erroneously reported that the Chief Minister had died, triggering emotional responses among AIADMK cadres assembled at the Apollo hospital premises and at party offices across Tamil Nadu. The hospital then released a bulletin that she was continuing to receive life support treatment.

The Chief Minister was hospitalised on September 22. A few days later the hospital consulted Dr. Richard Beale, a specialist from the Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital, London. It was then revealed that the treatment regimen included continued respiratory support, nebulisation, medicine to decongest the lungs, antibiotics, nutrition, general nursing care and supportive therapy.”

Her health appeared to improve over the coming weeks, and after more than 50 days in the hospital, Ms. Jayalalithaa, in a signed letter, said that she has taken a “rebirth” and that she was waiting to get back soon to routine official work.

Ms. Jayalalithaa was a reluctant entrant into films as well as politics but she succeeded in both; her film career began in 1965 with her first film 'Vennira Aadai'. Ms. Jayalalithaa was Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister for 6 terms and has been in politics since 1982 when she joined the AIADMK and made her first speech on "Pennin Perumai" (The Greatness of a Woman).</s>THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the health condition of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa worsening, the police stepped up security along the Kerala - Tamil Nadu border areas while the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has cut short many schedules to Tamil Nadu. State police chief Loknath Behera directed all district police chiefs, mainly in the districts bordering Tamil Nadu, to deploy more police personnel along the border areas as well as localities where Tamilians were staying in large numbers.

The police personnel were directed to curb chances of Jayalalithaa’s supporters going on a rampage or indulging in emotional acts like self-immolation. The state police chief also directed the police personnel to enhance checking in border areas to curb chances of carrying weapons or explosives across the border. The strength of police personnel at border roads has been increased and vehicles moving to Tamil Nadu were made aware of the situation there.

“We can’t forcibly restrict anyone from moving to Tamil Nadu, but could also advise them about the potential dangers,” said a district police chief. Meanwhile, many services of KSRTC to Nagercoil and Thenkashi routes were stopped at Parassala and Aryankavu respectively. KSRTC executive director (operations) P M Sharaf Muhammed said that none of the 150 odd-services to Tamil Nadu were cancelled. But many services had to be stopped at the border on the advice of police.

Private buses operating inter-state services have cancelled all services to Tamil Nadu on Monday and many buses operating to Karnataka via Nagercoil have diverted the service through Kasargod and Wayanad routes. The railway authorities are also reviewing the situations. Additional Railway Protection Force personnel were deployed in some trains towards Tamil Nadu in the evening following reports in a section of media that Jayalalithaa died.

A hartal-like situation prevailed at Kaliyikkavila on the Tamil Nadu- Thiruvananthapuram border with life coming to a standstill around 6 p.m. after some Tamil news channels erroneously flashed the news that Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had passed away. The private vehicles from the capital to Tamil Nadu were stopped at checkposts in the evening by Kerala police and were advised to return. Those who wanted to proceed were allowed to continue the journey.

Shops were closed down on the border and in Nagercoil within five minutes of the flash news and AIDMK workers had peacefully assembled on the streets. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation concluded all its interstate operation at Parassala on the Kerala side of the border by 11a.m. Similar was the case in Aryankavu depot and all KSRTC buses from as far as Thenkasi were instructed to return to their bases by 11a.m.

Thousands of students from Thiruvananathapuram who study at engineering colleges and polytechnic colleges in Tamil Nadu could not go to colleges. Those staying in hostels returned home and classes were cancelled by afternoon. Many Malayalis staying at Kumarakovil, Parvatipuram, Padmanabhapuram and Thuckalay also returned home based on reports that normal life will remain disrupted in the neighbouring state.

In the evening, some Tamil Nadu Road Transport Corporation buses that were running in Nagercoil and Tirunelveli districts ended operation at the nearest depots. “I went to my polytechnic by 7a.m. and had to return. It was informed that there won’t be classes tomorrow also,” said Arjun S. Nair, a student of Thuckalay-based college. Business men who have stakes across the border also were in a state of confusion. “I had some job at the Malaysian consulate in Tamil Nadu but none is picking up the phone,” said M. Akhil, a businessman.

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has stopped plying bus services through the Salem-Coimbatore stretch by Monday evening as a precautionary measure to preempt attacks by AIADMK supporters in the wake of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s health condition remaining critical. “A total of nine buses from Bangalore to various places in the state via the Salem-Coimbatore route were redirected via Mysore. The step was taken due to the tense situation prevailing there,” said a senior KSRTC official.

Meanwhile, the buses to Bangalore from various depots like Ernakulam proceeded through the normal route on Monday evening. “However, they will further conduct service from the border only upon getting a nod from the police there,” he said. The Karnataka Road State Transport Corporation too suspended its bus services through Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, several trains through Palghat got delayed by upto three hours on Monday.</s>Chennai: Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening and was being treated and monitored by a team of doctors, the Apollo Hospitals said on Sunday night.

After she suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening, Ms Jayalalithaa was put on extracorporeal membrane heart assist device and the team of doctors attending on her quickly consulted British expert Dr Richard Beale, who had been treating her ever since she was admitted to the hospital on September 22.

“The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, who is undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, Chennai, suffered a cardiac arrest this evening,” a medical bulletin issued by the Apollo Hospitals said. “She is being treated and monitored by a team of experts including cardiologists, pulmonologist and critical care specialists,” the statement further said.

Later in a series of tweets, the hospital said Ms Jayalalithaa is on extracorporeal membrane heart assist device and is being treated by a team of expert doctors and critical care specialists.

At the time of writing, a team of AIIMS doctors -- Dr G. Khilnani, Professor, Department of Pulmonology Medicine, Dr Anjan Trikha, Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care and Dr Nitish Nayak, Professor, Department of Cardiology — was rushing to Chennai to join the doctors treating her.

Informed sources said the Chief Minister was shifted back to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Sunday evening. As soon as the news of Ms Jayalalithaa suffering a cardiac arrest spread, Acting Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao rushed to the city from Maharashtra, implying the gravity of the situation, and drove straight to the Apollo Hospitals.

Police presence at the Apollo Hospitals was beefed up since Sunday evening and it was further strengthened late in the night after the official bulletin was put out by the hospital that confirmed the Chief Minister had suffered a cardiac arrest.

DGP (in-charge) T K Rajendran and Chennai Police Commissioner George rushed to the hospital and were monitoring the situation. As ministers and party leaders rushed inside the hospital, cadres waited outside. “I only want my Amma to come back. I am sure she will come back much stronger. Amma is everything for the people of Tamil Nadu and for the AIADMK,” said a woman cadre, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Another cadre, who had come all the way from Ayanavaram after hearing the news that Ms Jayalalithaa suffered a cardiac arrest, said he would leave the hospital premises only after hearing the news that she is well. “I don’t want to hear anything other than the news that she has recovered. I only want that,” he said.</s>Jayalalithaa: A Shy Actress Who Became Queen Of Tamil Nadu

She was a shy girl when she first stepped into the movie world. Decades later, by when she was one of the most popular actors in Tamil, Jayalalithaa became a colossus in Tamil Nadu’s politics, one who dreamt of playing a larger national role too.

Jayalalithaa, who died on Dec. 5 night after a 74-day battle for life, was a politician par excellence, a Brahmin woman who reached the pinnacle in a state where anti-Brahminism is very strong and led her AIADMK party to four victories in assembly elections – the last two in succession.

Affectionately called “Amma” by fans and party activists, Jayalalithaa wielded power with an iron hand, many men in the party falling at her feet at public events. But she enjoyed genuine popularity, particularly among the economically weaker sections who regarded her as a virtual goddess. Jayalalithaa certainly knew what it takes to negotiate the roller-coaster ride of power.

Born in Karnataka on Feb. 2, 1948 into an Iyengar family and named Komavalli, Jayalalithaa moved to Chennai in the 1950s to live with her mother who worked as a stage and Tamil film actress.A bright student, Jayalalithaa studied at the Bishop Cotton Girl’s High School in Bengaluru and the Church Park Presentation Convent in Chennai after her relocation.

At 16, she acted in a Kannada movie which turned out to be a blockbuster. She also acted on stage for years even as she continued to study.Although she wanted to pursue higher studies, Jayalalithaa gradually veered towards acting. Her first Tamil movie was “Vennira Aadai” (1965). Over the decades, she acted in 140 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and even one in Hindi “Izzat” opposite Dharmendra.

Her acting career peaked after she was paired with the legendary M.G. Ramachandran or MGR. The success of their film “Aayirathil Oruvan” (1965) turned Jayalalithaa into a leading heroine in Tamil movies. The two were an instant hit on the silver screen and they were said to be friends too in real life.

It is widely believed that it was MGR who prompted Jayalalithaa to join politics. But in reality, she made her own choice.MGR appointed her the AIADMK’s propaganda secretary in 1984. But it was her grit and tenacity that helped Jayalalithaa, a Brahmin in the Dravidian movement, to move her way up.

 When MGR fell ill and was under medical treatment in the U.S., Jayalalithaa led the AIADMK’s alliance with the Congress in the 1984 general and assembly elections.

Life became choppy after MGR died in December 1987, leaving Jayalalithaa to battle it out with his wife Janaki for the leadership of the AIADMK. The party split into two factions.

In 1989, the two factions reunited under Jayalalithaa’s leadership and she was elected its general secretary.

In the same year, she was elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly for the first time. She became the first woman opposition leader in the state.

There was vitriolic opposition to Jayalalithaa’s ascendancy in Tamil politics, especially from the DMK. But she countered all that.

In 1991, she became the chief minister of Tamil Nadu in elections held after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination at an election rally near Chennai.

Losing in 1996, Jalayalithaa returned to power in 2001 but had to step down after her name figured in a court case. After being cleared, she took over again in 2002 and ruled till 2006. She wrested the state from the DMK in 2011, but had to step down in September 2014 after being convicted in a corruption case by a Bengaluru court.

Acquitted, she took back the reins in May 2015 and led her party back to power in 2016, when she became the first in three decades to win an assembly poll in the state for a successive term. Jayalalithaa was considered mercurial. She withdrew her support to the BJP government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee after giving the government several sleepless nights in 1999.

She also had a love-hate relationship with the Congress. At the same time, she was not at home with the national opposition which preferred the DMK over the AIADMK.

 S. Thirunavukarasar, president of the Congress in Tamil Nadu and an old timer in the AIADMK, explained why Jayalalithaa succeeded the way she did. “She was very bold, intelligent and shrewd, three important qualities for a politician,” Thirunavukarasar told IANS. “She was charismatic and could attract and convince people. She was also an able administrator.”

Jayalalithaa implemented a water scheme to quench the thirst of Chennai and made rain water harvesting mandatory.She also brought in women’s police in the state and the “Cradle Baby” scheme. Though the DMK started the freebie culture with its color television offer as an election promise, it was Jayalalithaa who took it to a different level offering laptops, mixers, grinders and more.

The names of most newly-launched welfare schemes started with “Amma”. It reinforced her brand equity.The way she managed relief work after the 2004 tsunami drew praise from then US Senator Hillary Clinton. But her government’s response to the 2015 Chennai floods cost her some seats in the city in 2016.

Jayalalithaa had been in and out of power several times, battling incumbency and corruption charges. But she never gave up. A charismatic leader who was at home in Tamil, English and Hindi, a rare quality in Tamil Nadu politics, Jayalalithaa has also recorded many songs and written several stories.

When she was admitted to Apollo Hospitals on Sept. 22, no one believed she would come out of it in a coffin. She was hyperactive in May, winning the election. She was dead in December.</s>Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam was on Tuesday sworn in as Chief Minister after the death of J.Jayalalithaa.

Within hours of Jayalalithaa’s passing away, Panneerselvam was elected AIADMK legislature party leader.

He was then sworn in as Chief Minister at Raj Bhavan by Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao. Thirty-one ministers were also sworn-in along with him.

This is the third time Panneerselvam becomes the Chief Minister.

Unlike the last time when he turned emotional, Panneerselvam this time was calm and composed while being administered the oath.</s>The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) officials said that all the 450 services to Tamil Nadu are being run only till Attibele.

"It is a temporary measure and we are closely watching what is happening in Tamil Nadu," said a KSRTC official.

Services from Mysuru to different parts of Tamil Nadu have also been suspended. “KSRTC buses are not going beyond the border in Chamarajanagar for the time being,” KSRTC's Mysuru Rural Divisional Controller M. Mahesh told The Hindu.

Mr. Mahesh said a total of 70 KSRTC buses and 39 Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses ply between Mysuru and different destinations in Tamil Nadu every day.

In a bid to prevent any untoward incident in Bengaluru, due the tension prevailing in Tamil Nadu over Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's health, the police have enhanced security in the city.

A total of 250 hoysala and 400 cheetah vehicles have been deployed across the city. a total of 25 platoons of armed reserve police personnel have also been posted across the city.

"There has been no untoward incident till now. This is just a preventive measure and people don't have to panic," said a senior police officer.

Security has also been tightened along Karnataka's border in Chamarajanagar district.</s>People rush to pertol bunks after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa suffered a cardiac arrest in Chennai on Sunday night. | Photo Credit: K.V. Srinivasan

Educational institutions and offices are functioning as usual and state transport buses were operated.

Normal life was not affected in Tamil Nadu on Monday after the hospital sources said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening.

Educational institutions and offices are functioning as usual and state transport buses were operated.

However, security was beefed up across the state.

The 68-year-old Ms. Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital for treatment of fever and dehydration on September 22.

The doctors later said she needed a longer hospital stay as she was suffering from infection, and put her on respiratory support.

Recently, Apollo Hospitals Chairman Pratap C. Reddy told media that Ms. Jayalalithaa was returning to normalcy, and had been shifted out of Intensive Care Unit as there were no health complications.

She could go home whenever she decides to do so, he had said.

According to Apollo Hospitals, Ms. Jayalalithaa is under continued observation following Sunday’s cardiac arrest.
The chief minister of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa, dies of cardiac arrest after being hospitalized since 22 September 2016.