Natarajan Maruthappa passed away at the age of 76.
Sidelined AIADMK leader VK Sasikala’s husband Natarajan Maruthappa passed away at the age of 76 at a hospital in Chennai in the early hours of Tuesday. Natarajan was admitted to Gleneagles Global Health City Hospital in the city on Sunday after complaining of pain in the chest. He was reportedly put on a ventilator as his condition worsened on Monday.
Natarajan Maruthappa died due to multiple organ failure, said hospital authorities, reports ANI. He had also undergone a liver and kidney transplant last year. “It is with profound grief and sorrow that we announce the sad demise of Natarajan Maruthappa at 1.35 AM today,” an official release issued by Shanmuga Priyan, chief operating officer of Gleneagles Global Health City said.
Body of VK Sasikala’s husband Natarajan Maruthappa taken from Gleneagles Global Health City Hospital to their residence in Chennai.
Sources close to him suggest that his body will be taken later in the day to his native village in Thanjavur district for the final rites. However, it was not immediately known when the final rites will be held as the family anticipates a possible parole for Sasikala.
Natarajan was an avid Tamil activist and was also running a vernacular magazine called ‘Puthiya Paarvai’. He was formerly a Public Relations Officer with the state government. In 2011, he was one of the family members of Sasikala who were expelled by late Chief Minister and then AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa from the party.
Though Jayalalithaa expelled Sasikala, her close aide, she later re-inducted her. Sasikala is currently lodged in central prison in Bengaluru serving a four-year imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case.
(With inputs from PTI)