Chief minister of Tamil Nadu, leader to many Tamils and ‘Amma’ to millions, J Jayalalithaa died on Monday after undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai for 73 days. She was 68.
Jayalalithaa, who was admitted to hospital on September 22 with complaints of fever and dehydration, suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening. On Monday, Jayalalithaa continued to be very critical and was on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and life support systems. And the end came at 11.30pm.
In a statement issued after midnight on Tuesday, Apollo Hospitals said: “It is with indescribable grief we announce the sad demise of our esteemed honorable chief minister of Tamil Nadu Puratchi Thalavi Amma at 11.30pm today Monday night. Our honorable chief minister Selvi J Jayalalithaa was admitted On September 22 with complaints of fever and dehydration and underlying comorbidities. The honorable chief minister subsequently recovered substantially to be able to take food orally.
Thousands of Jayalalitha’s supporters, wailing and crying, gathered outside the hospital Monday to pray for her recovery. Police were deployed across the state to ensure security, out of fear that her death could trigger widespread violence and riots.
The US Consulate in Chennai put out an advisory urging Americans to be careful in the city and avoid large crowds.
Affectionately called “Amma,” or “Mother,” by her supporters, Jayalalitha joined politics in the early 1980s after a successful film career that included appearances in nearly 150 movies. She has had three stints as chief minister of Tamil Nadu, the latest of which began in May 2011.
Government officials have rushed to the hospital in Chennai. Police erected barricades to block roads leading to the hospital.

Source: Arab News