Chennai, Dec 8: The two most politically busiest and crowded places in Tamil Nadu — Vedha Nilayam, the Poes Garden residence of late J Jayalalithaa, and the AIADMK headquarters in Royapettah — wore a deserted look on Wednesday, a day after the former chief minister was laid to rest at Marina Beach here. Both the areas had always been a security fortress with the presence of heavily armed policemen and frisking checkposts.
Apollo sources said the personnel who were guarding the roads leading to the hospital had left the premises on Tuesday morning itself. In addition, several hundred barricades that were placed outside the hospital have been removed.
“There will be some or the other meeting in our party office. However, after Amma's demise no one is willing to visit the office as the memory of Amma will taunt us,” said AIADMK worker Krishnaraj, who had come to pick up his luggage from the party office and head back home after attending the last rites.
Even tea shops and snacks stalls were forced to close down on Wednesday afternoon as they did not have any business. “There is no point in keeping the shop open when there are no sales,” a shopkeeper said.
Meanwhile, the public, who were always subjected to a series of security checks near Jayalalithaa's residence, moved about freely. Not a single AIADMK cadre was present near the locality, which used to be thronged by party workers. “For the first time in several years, there is not much activity here at Poes Garden,” Muthu Krishnan, a resident of the area, said.
77 die of shock
More than 70 people in various parts of the state reportedly died of shock after hearing about Jayalalithaa's demise. In a statement, the AIADMK claimed that “77 functionaries died due to deep sorrow and shock after their party chief died on December 5 in Chennai”.
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