Deceased former Tamil Nadu chief-minister J. Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa has told a Commission of Inquiry (COI) in Chennai yesterday that she feared that her Aunt might have been ‘attacked’ by those present at the Poes Garden residence prior to her hospitalization at Apollo Hospitals from where she never returned alive.

Daughter of Jayalalithaa’s elder brother, Deepa told the COI headed by retired Justice Arumuga Swamy that everyone who was present at the Poes Garden residence of her Aunt on 23rd September, 2016 should be thoroughly interrogated. Apollo Hospitals declared Jayalalithaa ‘dead’ on 05th December, 2016 after 75-day long hospitalization and after giving hopes that she was recovering from her illness.

Neither anyone was allowed to get anywhere close to the former chief-minister, referred to fondly as ‘Amma’ and ‘Puratchithalaivi’ by AIADMK cadres and people, during her stay at the hospital nor was any photograph of her getting treatment released to the press. Political parties and people expressed their doubts about the demise of one of the most impactful leaders in the country.

Govt. of Tamil Nadu set up a COI headed by Justice Arumuga Swamy nine months after Jayalalithaa’s demise. Deepa appeared before the COI yesterday and deposed. Later, speaking to newsmen, Deepa (who initially said she didn’t have any doubts about her Aunt’s demise) expressed her apprehension that her Aunt might have been attacked by those who were present at Poes Garden on the day she was hospitalized.

“A person who had been staying at Poes Garden for many years gave me some important information in this regard,” she said and added that Jayalalithaa’s personal assistant Rajammal ought to be inquired. “Not only Rajammal; everyone who was present at the Garden on that day should be interrogated thoroughly,” she said after deposing for more than three hours before the COI.