Apollo Hospital on Monday evening denied local media reports that claimed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has died. Violence broke out in front of Apollo Hospital in Chennai after the reports. Police barricaded the hospital to ward off protesters, while security officials got into a scuffle with members of the public.

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham had briefly flown the party flag at half-mast outside their Royapettah headquarters, following the reports. Fearing violence, security arrangements have been strengthened around Jayalalithaa’s home, across the city and parts of the state. Huge crowds had gathered at the chief minister’s residence and outside the hospital to pray for her recovery.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said the situation is under control, even though a bandh-like situation is now prevailing in Chennai as petrol pumps and most shops in the city have been shut. Several offices and schools also reportedly closed earlier than usual on Monday. Buses plying between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were also suspended on Monday.

Party legislators had met earlier in the day to sign a statement regarding the AIADMK’s future leadership. The news comes hours after she suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening. She had been admitted to Apollo Hospital in Chennai on September 22 for “dehydration and fever”.