Puttaparthi (Andhra Pradesh): Spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba who has thousands of followers in India and abroad died Sunday of cardiac and respiratory failure after a prolonged illness. He was 85.
The news of his death plunged his followers, many of whom had thronged the town, into grief. His mortal remains would be shifted to Prasanthi Nilayam, 6 km from the hospital and kept for darshan for two days at a central hall there.
An official communication was issued at around 10 am as the authorities rushed more forces to this small pilgrim town to deal with any eventuality.
Shops and establishments have been ordered to close down in Puttaparthi. AP Chief Minister Kirankumar Reddy and Governor Narasimhan have rushed to Puttparthi.
Doctors at Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital, where Sathya Sai Baba was undergoing treatment for the past 26 days, said the Guru passed away due to multiple organ failure. His his vital organs, including heart, liver, kidneys and lungs, were not functioning properly for the past few days.
As the 85-year-old spiritual leader was battling for life, represetnatives of the Andhra Pradesh government Saturday held a meeting with the doctors attending on him and members of Sathya Sai Central Trust.
Minister for Major Industries J. Geeta Reddy told reporters that her visit was aimed at ensuring coordination among doctors, the government and the trust.
She assured that all the required assistance would be rendered by the government.
Sathya Sai Baba, whom his devotees see as incarnation of god, was admitted to the hospital March 28 with breathing problems.
Meanwhile, the authorities have rushed more police forces to the pilgrim town. The town was abuzz with activity as senior civil and police officials were holding meetings to make preparations for visit of VIPs and a large number of devotees.
More than 1,500 policemen were being mobilised from different parts of Andhra Pradesh. This is in addition to the 3,000 policemen already deployed in the town.
Anxious devotees from different parts of the state and other states continue to pour in. They joined the prayers at Prashanti Nilayam for Sathya Sai Baba's recovery.
Some devotees, including local state legislator P. Raghunath Reddy, Saturday held prayers outside the hospital.
The trust members are likely to hold a news conference later in the day as the government asked them to respond to the reports in a section of media about the alleged mismanagement of funds.
The trust, headed by Sathya Sai Baba, stays away from media but with speculations of rift among its members and the alleged transfer of funds doing the rounds, the government advised it to interact with media persons to set the record straight.
