After 75 days in hospital; Jayalalithaa dies

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, died late on Monday in a Chennai hospital, nearly three months after she was admitted there. She was 68. Jayalalithaa was declared dead at 11:30 PM. Apollo Hospital in its statement said, "with indescribable grief, we announce the sad demise of our esteemed honourable chief minister of Tamil Nadu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma at 11:30 PM today, 5-12-2016." Jayalalithaa was taken to Apollo Hospitals on September 22 after she collapsed of respiratory distress at her Poes Garden residence late that evening. Initial reports from the hospital said she was brought in with fever and dehydration, and doctors soon diagnosed sepsis, a life-threatening infection that spreads in the blood, as the underlying reason. Intensive treatment provided by a team of experts succeeded in reviving her to an extent. Specialists from Delhi's AIIMS hospital and a pulmonary expert from London were flown in for consults. A seven-day mourning period has been announced in the state. The Chief Minister’s body will be kept in state at Rajaji Hall for people to pay respects. She will be laid to rest next to political mentor MGR's memorial at Marina Beach.