JOIN USFormer chief minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalitha, convicted in the disproportionate assets case and lodged in the Bangalore Central Prisons at Parappana Agrahara, is said to be coming to terms with prison life.
Though she is yet to accept what has befallen her, the AIADMK supremo is slowly adjusting herself to the new life, said sources in the prison.
Unlike the first day, the second day was not so eventful for her as the prison authorities did not permit anybody to meet her except her personal physician Dr Shantharam. He examined her and gave a list of medicines she is expected to consume every day.
Meanwhile, doctors at the prison are examining her thrice a day as she is suffering from hypertension, diabetes and backache. She is still under stress and seems to be depressed, the sources said.
On Monday, Jayalalitha woke up at 5 am and completed her morning walk by 6 am. She was given two English dailies and three Tamil dailies on her request, as was done on Sunday, too.
She had idli and sambar prepared at her relative’s house and carried to the jail by a personal assistant. She refused to eat the prison food for lunch and chose to have juice and bread. Based on her request, the authorities ensured a Western-style toilet for her, said the sources.
Hordes of visitors
A host of AIADMK MLAs and MPs came to the prison on Monday hoping to meet her. However, none of them was allowed to enter the jail as they did not have valid passes.
Rajya Sabha member Shashikala Pushpa, actor Sarath Kumar, Jayalalitha's personal assistant Krishnan, sister Shailaja and her daughter Amirtha were among the prominent visitors.
Pushpa had a heated argument with the prison authorities over denial of permission to meet their leader. The officers had a tough time convincing her about the prison rules, the threat to Jayalalitha’s life and her Z-plus security cover.
Some AIADMK leaders told the media that they would approach the High Court and even the Supreme Court and expressed confidence of seeing her back as chief minister.
The police said they were finding it tough to control the AIADMK cadre as hundreds of them were coming to the prison every day. The police continued the tight security and prohibitory orders within a radius of one kilometre from the prison.