Yeddyurappa hops hospitals to keep jail at bay

Mtoday news / PTI

Bangalore, Oct 19: Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa is on a hospital-hopping spree even as he succeeded in avoiding jail once again.
On Tuesday evening, he was discharged from Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research (SJICSR), but was taken to Victoria Hospital with complaints of breathlessness, high blood pressure and other ailments.

 

 

 

Yeddyurappa was discharged on Tuesday evening after CN Manjunath, director of Jayadeva Institute said the former chief minister had no serious cardiac ailments and he could be shifted for any multi-specialty hospital for treating his other ailments like back pain and breathlessness.

Manjunath said the medical examinations on Yeddyurappa showed no significant ailment of the heart. However, he needs treatment for other co-morbid conditions like backache, frequent urination, diabetes, hypertension, hypothyroidism, plaque deposits in coronary arteries (but no blockages), and Parkinsonism.

He also has low sodium levels in his blood and is suffering from moderate depression.

 

 

The former chief minister was shifted to Victoria under heavy police protection in an inexplicably dramatic manner. He was ushered into the ambulance with senior police officials surrounding him and even holding a cloth as a screen, thus shielding him from the media cameras. The SJICSR gates were closed immediately after his ambulance left the premises to prevent media vehicles from tailing the convoy which sped towards Victoria Hospital.

The police repeated the act at Victoria Hospital, too, as Yeddyurappa, fully covered from head to toe with a bed sheet as he was put on a stretcher. Lensmen were kept away with a make-shift cloth screen. He was immediately taken to the Surgical Gastroenterology section.

Medical authorities at Victoria had a tough time replying to a barrage of questions from the media on the need to admit Yeddyurappa after he was discharged from SJICSR.

“Yeddyurappa is suffering from uncontrolled blood pressure and diabetes; he is also experiencing breathlessness. He has urological problems too which need examination from Urology specialists. He will be kept under intense observation for the next 24 hours. He would be sent for examination by a urology expert tomorrow (Wednesday),” Dr B Natraj, interim medical superintendent, Victoria Hospital, said.

Yeddyurappa has been admitted to a 12X16 feet room in the VVIP Ward-2 which is equipped with an air-conditioner, a TV, a fan, and a geyser - far better than his cell in the special security section of Parappana Agrahara Central Jail.