Yeddyurappa in ICU after falling ill in jail

By Indo Asian News Service | IANS –  8 hours ago

Bangalore, Oct 16 (IANS) Jailed former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will be in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the state-run Sri Jayadeva hospital here for the next two days as he is suffering from multiple health problems and mental stress, a top doctor said Sunday.

'Yeddyurappa is kept in ICU for observation and a series of tests to assess his condition and prescribe treatment as he is having high blood pressure, high sugar level and body pains. He is also under severe stress,' Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research director C.N. Manjunathtold IANS here.

Within hours after being jailed late Saturday by a trial court in graft cases related to land scams, Yeddyurappa, 68, was shifted to the hospital after he complained of chest pain and back pain in the wee hours of Sunday.

'When Yeddyurappa was brought here around 2 a.m., he was having chest discomfort and vomiting sensation. Preliminary investigations showed he was stressed out with high blood pressure (100-180) and high blood sugar as he is diabetic,' Manjunath said.

Manjunath is the son-in-law of former prime minister and Janta Dal-Secular (JD-S) president H.D. Deve Gowda.

Initial tests such as ECG, echo and angiogram revealed that Yeddyurappa's health parameters were not normal and required treatment, besides full rest.

'A five-member medical team has been formed to monitor Yeddyurappa's health, conduct further tests and keep him in ICU as he needs to take complete rest. Further stress or strain will complicate his health,' Manjunath pointed out.

Admitting that high-profile personalities, celebrities and politicians tend to fall suddenly ill when jailed or prosecuted, the eminent cardiologist said, unlike ordinary people, VIPs face tremendous stress and pressure of undue attention, especially from the media, and their large number of) followers and relatives.

'It's common among the high-profile, including celebrities and politicians to be stressed out and feel the heat of being under relentless media watch and undue concern of their near and dear over their well-being. So in the case of Yeddyurappa, who is not only aged but also having a medical history of being diabetic, suffered a mild stroke recently,' Manjunath said.

In a related development, Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda visited the hospital with some of his cabinet colleagues to enquire about Yeddyurappa's health and wish him speedy recovery.

'Though Yeddyurappa's health is stable, by and large, he is not keeping well and needs medical attention. Due to ageing and multiple risk factors, he is vulnerable to endure stress or strain of any kind,' Manjunath added.

The bail application of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's first chief minister in south India was Saturday rejected by Lokayukta (ombudsman) special court judge N. Sudeendra Rao and an arrest warrant was issued as Yeddyurappa was not present in the trial court.

Rao not only rejected Yeddyrrapa's bail plea but also declined to exempt him from being present in the court on health grounds.

Former BJP minister for endowments (muzarai) Krishnaiah Shetty, who was also remanded in a week-long judicial custody along with Yeddyurappa is lodged in the Parpanna Agrahara jail as his bail plea was also rejected.