7 more die unable to bear Jayalalithaa's 'hardship': AIADMK

AIADMK on Wednesday said seven more persons allegedly committed suicide during the last one week "unable" to bear the "hardship" faced by party supremo Jayalalithaa following her conviction in the disproportionate wealth case, taking the total number of deaths in this regard to 251.

Jayalalithaa had announced a relief of Rs three lakh each to the families of the victims. She had noted that such extreme steps were being taken by some of her supporters despite her acquittal due to "canards" spread by her detractors. She has appealed to partymen not to resort to such extreme steps at a time when the party was gearing up for "victory celebration", an apparent reference to her expected return as Chief Minister following her acquittal.

An AIADMK press release said the families of the seven persons were given Rs 3 lakh each today. "So far, Rs 7.53 crore has been given to the families of 251 persons," a party release here said. The party had also given away Rs two lakh to four persons towards medical treatment, it said adding a total sum of Rs 7.55 crore had been disbursed so far. 

Jayalalithaa was sentenced to four years imprisonment in the Rs 66.66 crore disproportionate assets case by a Bengaluru court in September last year, but the Karnataka High Court had acquitted her on May 11, clearing the decks for her return as Chief Minister.