Bomb scare at Apollo Hospital, where Jaya breathed her last

The heavy police deployment was withdrawn after Jayalalithaa's body was taken to Poes garden. File

Chennai: An anonymous telephone call Thursday claiming that a bomb was planted in the premises of the Apollo Hospital here and it would explode anytime sent authorities into a tizzy.

It, however, turned out to be a hoax.

"All I can tell you is that it's a hoax telephone call," a top police officer told PTI.

Police are investigating who made the call and from where it originated.

Following the call, police tightened vigil at the city- based corporate hospital and only patients and the employees of the hospital were allowed inside.

However, a thorough search of the premises proved the call to be hoax, police said.

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa was undergoing treatment at the hospital since September 22 before her death on Monday, while veteran journalist Cho Ramaswamy breathed his last at the hospital Wednesday.

The Apollo Hospital had turned a virtual fortress for 75 days since Jayalalithaa was admitted but the heavy police deployment was withdrawn after her body was taken to Poes garden residence on Monday.

(With agency inputs)