What Really Happened to Jayalalithaa?

J. Jayalalithaa, loved as “Amma” by the people of Tamil Nadu, was the Chief Minister of the state. On 22 September 2016, she was taken to Apollo Hospital in Chennai because she had fever and dehydration. She was 68 years old and had been suffering from diabetes for many years.

From the day she entered the hospital, very little information was shared with the public. For 75 days, the hospital only said she was “serious but stable.” No photo or video of her was shown, because she herself had told her team that she did not want any pictures released while she was sick. On the evening of 5 December 2016, she suddenly suffered a major heart attack. Doctors tried to save her, but she passed away the same night.

The official medical explanation is simple: a dangerous infection had spread in her body (called sepsis). Her lungs became weak and stopped working properly, and finally her heart failed. A medical team from AIIMS Delhi later checked all her hospital papers and confirmed there was no sign of poisoning, injury, or murder—only a very serious illness.

So why do so many people think she was murdered?

1. Too much secrecy

For more than two months, nobody outside the hospital saw her alive. Not even her close ministers. This created huge suspicion and anger among people. When information is hidden, rumours grow quickly.

2. Fight for power

Right after she died, her close friend V.K. Sasikala tried to take control of the party. Many party members didn’t trust her. They immediately claimed, “Sasikala must have killed Amma to take power,” even though no proof was ever found.

3. Her “fresh-looking” face after death

When Jayalalithaa’s body was kept for the public to pay respects, many people were shocked. She looked fresh, neat, and almost glowing—pink cheeks, smooth skin, nicely combed hair.

People wondered:

“How can someone who was in ICU for 75 days look like this?”

“Is this really her body?”

Because of this, many wild stories started spreading.

Why did she look so fresh?

It is actually normal in VIP funerals in India:

The body is embalmed within hours. Special chemicals are used to stop the body from decaying. These chemicals make the face look fuller and pink.

Makeup is applied by professionals.

She had been on machines and medicines, which already made her face slightly swollen. Embalming made it look even smoother.

The four small black dots on her face were simply marks from the embalming needles, not poison injections.

Nothing unusual or mysterious here — only normal post-death procedures.

Main conspiracy theories people still believe

Sasikala slowly poisoned her

She actually died earlier, but the hospital hid the news

A body double or wax figure was used during the funeral

Rival political parties or the central government killed her

Millions of people forwarded these messages, even though none were proven true.

What did the official inquiry say?

In 2022, a retired judge, Justice Arumughaswamy, investigated the matter for five years. His report said:

There were mistakes in treatment

Sasikala interfered too much

Some tests were delayed

But he also clearly said he found no proof of murder. He only asked police to re-check some points. Even in 2025, no one has been charged with killing her.

The truth in simple words

Jayalalithaa died because she was very seriously ill. Diabetes, infection, lung failure, and heart failure took her life. The hospital and family kept everything private, which made people doubt them. Her fresh face after death was because of normal embalming and makeup, not any conspiracy.

Amma was loved like a goddess. When someone so loved dies suddenly and secretly, people refuse to accept it. That is why, even after nine years, the rumours and sadness still continue.