Jayalalithaa suffers cardiac arrest hours after party said she was well

Chennai, December 4

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening, hours after a team of experts from AIIMS said she has “completely recovered” after over  two months of hospitalisation.

Post cardiac arrest she was being attended to by a team of experts, a statement by Apollo Hospital said.

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She is being treated and monitored by a team of experts, including cardiologists, pulmonologist and critical care specialists, the statement said.

Supporters outside Chennai’s Apollo hospital broke down as they heard of Jayalalithaa's cardiac arrest.

Earlier, a statement issued by her party, AIADMK, said Jayalalithaa will return home "soon" as an AIIMS expert team has confirmed that she has completely recovered after over two months of hospitalisation.

“The AIIMS doctors visited the hospital yesterday and after examining her (Jayalalithaa's) health, they shared the good news with us that Amma (meaning mother as Jayalalithaa is fondly called by AIADMK cadres) has completely recovered," party spokesperson C Ponnaiyan had told reporters.

Ponnaiyan said the Chief Minister was doing "physical exercises" and undergoing "physiotherapy", was eating food on her own and advising officers on issues related to government and party activities.

The 68-year-old AIADMK supremo was admitted to hospital on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration. The hospital, which had been issuing bulletins on her health status, has said she was being treated for infection.

Apollo Hospitals Chairman Dr C Prathap Reddy had recently said Jayalalithaa was in good health and was speaking using a valve attached to the tracheotomy tube. — Agencies