Jayalalithaa suffers cardiac arrest: Hospital

"The honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, who is undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospitals, suffered a cardiac arrest this evening. She is being treated and monitored by a team of experts, including cardiologists, pulmonologist and critical care specialists," Chief Operating Officer and head of transformation of Apollo Hospital Dr Subbaiah Viswanathan said in a statement.

The 68-year-old leader suffered the cardiac arrest hours after AIADMK said that Jayalalithaa will return home "soon" as an AIIMS expert team has confirmed that she has completely recovered after over two months of hospitalisation.

Jayalalithaa was hospitalised on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration. The hospital, which had been issuing bulletins on her health status, had later said she was being treated for infection with respiratory support, among others.

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

Whole body physiotherapy was being done, he had said, adding that she was normally recuperating after being in bed for several weeks and would herself decide when to go home.

Earlier in the day, AIADMK spokesperson C Ponnaiyan had told reporters that a three-member expert team from AIIMS, Delhi, had said that she had completely recovered.

"The AIIMS doctors visited the hospital yesterday and after examining her (Jayalalithaa's) health, they shared the good news with us that Amma (as Jayalalithaa is fondly called by AIADMK cadre, meaning mother) has completely recovered", he had said.

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