Failing heart, rising stress kill Saravana Bhavan owner Rajagopal  

Doctors treating Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal (72) who died at a private hospital in Chennai on Thursday (July 18), said the ‘dosa king’ was frustrated and under immense pressure, which led to his health condition deteriorate rapidly.

On July 10, Rajagopal had arrived in an ambulance with an oxygen mask strapped to his face after the Supreme Court turned down his request to delay his sentence on medical grounds.

Convicted and sentenced for life for the murder of Prince Sathakumar, Rajagopal, doctors said had suffered two cardiac (July 13 and 14) arrests in a span of nine days in Stanley Medical College and Hospital.

Speaking to The Federal, Deputy Medical Superintendent Dhanasekaran Krishnan said that his health condition was critical even when he surrendered.

“His health condition worsened day after day. His organs began to deteriorate one at a time. We managed to revive them one by one and brought several things under control including his sugar level. But, we could not improve his heart condition because of which he had breathing problems. He was under pressure and frustrated. Adding to his ailments, the mental pressure he was under seemed to have added to his deteriorating health condition,” said Dhanasekaran.

Also read: ‘Ailing’ Saravana Bhavan owner Rajagopal, fails to surrender

Reiterating, Krishnan’s statement, Rajagopal’s lawyer Muthukannaiyan said, “He seemed to be stressed after he was asked to surrender. Though he had age-related ailments, he was admitted to the hospital and was alive. After the court refused to give time, the pressure added it.”

He added that Rajagopal had earlier suffered a cardiac arrest once around three to four years ago.

People working in Rajagopal’s household to whom The Federal spoke to also said that his behaviour changed after the Supreme Court upheld the life imprisonment.

A worker in Rajagopal’s house said that he never came out of his house after the Supreme Court upheld the life imprisonment. “Even his family members who frequented his house thrice a week stopped visiting the house. May be that should have hurt him more,” the worker said.

Also read: Memories of Saravana Bhavan leave a bitter taste for Jeeva Jothi

Rajagopal who was residing in his house and taken care of by his employees, got admitted to the hospital days before the last day to surrender before the court or the local police.

On July 8, Rajagopal approached the Supreme Court seeking time to surrender citing his health condition. However, the Supreme Court asked Rajagopal to first obey the order and surrender immediately, before seeking a relief. On July 8, Rajagopal was taken in an ambulance to the IV additional sessions court and he was surrendered.

Soon after surrendering, he was taken to the Stanley Medical College and Hospital, where he was treated for nine days. After getting a direction from the Madras High Court, Rajagopal was shifted from the Government Hospital to a private hospital on Tuesday night.